Thyroid cancer is one of the most survivable cancers, but early detection is crucial for successful treatment. The five-year survival rate after thyroid cancer is almost 97 percent.
The thyroid is a small gland that is located in the front of the neck, just above the collarbone but below the larynx.
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According to the American Cancer Society, most thyroid cancer patients see their doctor for early detection when they notice lumps in their neck or swelling in this area of the throat. These lumps can also be found during routine physicals when doctors manually check for them.
Early detection of thyroid cancer can also be facilitated by self “neck checks” as
recommended by Dr. Jeffrey Mechanick to Healthline. To conduct a self check, stand in front of a mirror while looking at the thyroid gland region. Tilt the head back slightly and continue to watch the area while swallowing a few mouthfuls of water. Look for any stationary or moving bumps and contact your physician right away if you see them.
Mechanick says that many early thyroid cancers produce no physical symptoms. It is unlikely to be detected in any other way than a mass in the neck that can be seen or felt.
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Thyroid cancer is unrelated to other thyroid disorders such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
If your physician is concerned about a mass or swelling on the thyroid gland, he may recommend a number of followup tests for more information. For example, a fine needle aspiration or needle biopsy may be used to draw cells from the lump for examination by a pathologist. If there are still questions about your diagnosis, a number of different imaging studies can assist in early detection of thyroid cancer including a CT scan, nuclear medicine scan, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study.
Mechanick explains that thyroid cancer grows slowly and is unlikely to result in death as long as there is proper treatment. It is usually treated with surgery or a radioactive iodine treatment, and usually does not require anything further.
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