How to determine thyroid cancer

Today, thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, but the percentage of patients cured of it reaches 97%. In most cases, the early stages of carcinoma Carcinoma - how to prevent disaster?   thyroid does not have any symptoms. With the growth of the tumor in the thyroid gland appear dense nodes, which can be detected by touch, and sometimes - even to see carefully examined herself in the mirror. However, only about one percent of all the seals in the thyroid cancers are indeed.

Symptoms of thyroid cancer

When thyroid cancer begins to spread, it can cause the following symptoms:

• Difficulty swallowing (if the tumor is pressing on the esophagus);
• Husky voice, unusual for a man before;
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck;
• Difficulty breathing (if the tumor in the thyroid gland puts pressure on the airways);
• Sore throat and / or neck (the pain may resemble what happens with a cold or muscle pain).

Remember that 99% of the nodes in the thyroid gland are benign, but if you find them at home, be sure to go to the doctor. Only a specialist can determine the nature of these seals. The above symptoms are usually also caused by other, less dangerous diseases. However, if you can not get rid of, such as a sore throat for a week, you should also consult a doctor.

Signs

In thyroid cancer symptoms are not always available, so the time to recognize and diagnose it may not be easy. Often the symptoms are mistaken for signs of cancer, in fact, caused by the nodes in the thyroid gland, but they do not always come in malignancies.

The majority of adults in the thyroid gland The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones   there are seals - nodes; age them becomes larger. However, 95% of these units - benign. At the same time, and the majority of patients who subsequently exhibit thyroid cancer, first it is known that they have a hardware node attaching. Later the doctors find out that it is malignant, and determine the type of cancer. The main types of thyroid cancer are papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic.

Most of them initially cause the following symptoms (except when at the early stages of cancer has no symptoms):

• Node in the neck. Not all of the nodes in the thyroid gland are large enough for a man to see them with the naked eye or to find by touch. However, some people form such large nodes that they can see or find; Some nodes are visible only when a person swallows. However, in most cases, seals are found during a medical examination.
• Swelling of the lymph nodes - another symptom of thyroid cancer is not associated with the nodes in the thyroid gland. In general, lymph nodes Lymph nodes - what keeps our immune system   They can become inflamed, for example, during infections. However, if the swelling persists for a long time, be sure to consult a doctor.
• Hoarse voice. The thyroid gland is located directly beneath the larynx. Growing in the gland assembly can put pressure on the larynx, causing voice changes and, as a rule, becomes hoarse.
• Difficulty breathing and swallowing. Under the thyroid gland is the trachea; sometimes develops in the gland cancer begins to put pressure on the trachea, which is why it becomes more difficult to breathe. Difficulty in swallowing is the result of pressure on the esophagus is located below the trachea. However, based on these characteristics, thyroid cancer is rarely detected.
• Neck pain may be associated with stretching of muscles or a prolonged sedentary work. However, if it takes a long time, talk to your doctor - sometimes it is a sign of thyroid cancer.
• Sore throat, as in the cold, in some cases, also a sign of cancer Fifteen signs of cancer that women ignore . It should be wary if it persists for a few weeks.

Thyroid cancer - diagnosis should be timely

Thyroid cancer (TC) is not easy to identify in the early stages, since the feature of this type of cancer is that it often develops in the presence of other diseases of the thyroid gland and at first almost does not manifest itself. However, to identify the early stages of thyroid cancer can be: modern equipment allows it.

Basic principles of diagnosis of thyroid cancer

Diagnosis of thyroid cancer most often occurs during the medical examination and ultrasound examination of the body, so today thyroid ultrasound Thyroid ultrasound - to examine the evidence   It is the main diagnostic method to detect cancer.

Another no less informative method is a biopsy followed by cytology content. That laboratory cytology to determine how dangerous the tumor, since prognosis depends on how differentiated (ie, have some kind of specialization, for example, similar to the tissue from which they are formed) of its cells.

If necessary for diagnosis and tumor spread are held and other diagnostic tests - computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron bemissionnaya tomography (PET), X-ray and radioisotope scintigraphy of the thyroid gland.

Can detect thyroid cancer doctor during the examination

Absolutely on the basis of examination of the patient diagnosed with thyroid cancer put, of course, is not possible, it must be awakened to confirm with additional research methods.

However, an experienced doctor after the questioning and examination of the patient may be suspected thyroid cancer. In this case, the patient is directed primarily to the US.

Thyroid ultrasound

Ultrasonography allows to investigate the thyroid gland without damaging it (ie, a non-invasive method of diagnosis) and not irradiated. This reveals the tumor sizes up to 1 to 2 cm, its dimensions are determined by the contours of the structure, the presence or absence of various inclusions, such as calcifications. Using ultrasonic Doppler blood flow is investigated in an area where a tumor develops, and thyroid gland in general.

If during the ultrasound examination there was a suspicion of thyroid cancer, must be conducted ultrasound cervical lymph nodes with needle biopsy and subsequent laboratory research content.

CT, MRI and PET

Computed tomography (CT) does not allow to detect small nodules in the thyroid gland, but that using this method can detect tumor metastasis, located behind the trachea, sternum and along the cluster of nerves and blood vessels.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a very informative and reveals little education in thyroid tissue, and see education, located behind the trachea and bronchi, that is the extent of the process, including the metastasis Metastasis - danger everywhere   in the lymph nodes.

6emissionnaya Positron tomography (PET) revealed data on metabolism Metabolism: The basis of life of all living things   in cells and tissues of the changes that occur in these cells. At present technique is not fully understood.

X-ray diagnostic techniques

This method of research, and today is not outdated. So review chest X-ray can detect not only thyroid cancer, but its metastases in the lymph nodes and lungs. Radiographs of other organs allow us to see distant metastasis of the tumor. A sighting tomography (stratified study of tissue) allows you to see exactly where the tumor is located, especially its structure and contours, the displacement of surrounding soft tissues.

Laboratory methods of diagnostics

If you suspect a TC held needle aspiration biopsy (FNA), followed by the study of cellular material taken in cytology laboratories. FNA is conducted in all patients who were identified nodal changes in the thyroid gland The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones . In some cases, FNA is performed under ultrasound guidance - it increases the diagnostic value of the study. In the subsequent cytological examination revealed the tumor cells of the tumor, set the degree of differentiation (the less differentiated cells of the tumor, the worse the prognosis) and cellular origin.

Molekulyarno6geneticheskie methods today are considered the most informative, but it is rarely used because of the high cost.

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer set, an occasion surgery, during which the removal of the tumor tissue is studied in the laboratory at the time. as the patient is on the operating table.

Timely detection of thyroid cancer makes it possible to save the patient.