• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Thyroid cancer

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Tumor - thyroid; Cancer - thyroid

Symptoms:

• Enlargement of the thyroid gland
• Neck swelling
• A thyroid nodule
• Hoarseness or changing voice
• Cough or cough with bleeding
• Difficulty swallowing

Note: Symptoms may vary depending on the type of thyroid cancer

Signs and tests:

A physical examination can reveal a thyroid mass or nodule (usually in the lower part of the front of the neck), or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.

Tests that indicate thyroid cancer:

• Thyroid biopsy showing anaplastic, follicular, medullary or papillary cancer cells
• Ultrasound of the thyroid showing a nodule
• Thyroid scan showing cold nodule (a nodule that does not light up on scan)
• Laryngoscopy showing paralyzed vocal cords
• Elevated serum calcitonin (for medullary cancer) or serum thyroglobulin (for papillary or follicular cancer)

This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:

• T4
• T3
• TSH

• Review Date: 5/26/2006
• Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.