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Thyroid nodules are common and increase in incidence with increasing age. Most thyroid nodules are benign. The incidence of thyroid cancer in females is three times that of males.
Those patients who have received radiation exposure to the neck are at increased risk of thyroid cancer. A family history of thyroid cancer also increases the risk of the patient having thyroid cancer.
Any patient presenting with a newly discovered nodule or lump in the thyroid gland should be appropriately investigated for possible cancer. Children and the elderly are at higher risk of that nodule being malignant. The sudden and unexplained onset of hoarseness or difficulty in swallowing, or the appearance of a mass in the neck may herald the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Imaging studies, e.g., CT and MRI scans and neck ultrasoundare used to differentiate the thyroid masses. Needle biopsy is usually obtained.
The primary treatment of choice for most thyroid tumors is surgical removal. The pathologic examination of any thyroid surgical specimen is very important and demanding.
The treatment of thyroid cancer is often a co-operative effort requiring several different specialists including endocrinologist, nuclear medicine expert, medical and radiation oncologist in addition to the primary care physician and surgeon.
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