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Cáncer tiroideo - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Tumor tiroideo; Cáncer de tiroides

Definición:

Es el cáncer que comienza en la glándula tiroides, la cual está localizada al interior y al frente de la parte baja del cuello.

Causas:

El cáncer tiroideo puede ocurrir en todos los grupos de edades.

Las personas que se han sometido a radioterapia en el cuello están en mayor riesgo. Esta terapia se usaba comúnmente en los años 50 para tratar el agrandamiento del timo, las adenoides y las amígdalas, al igual que trastornos de la piel. Las personas que recibieron radioterapia en la niñez están en mayor riesgo de presentar cáncer tiroideo.

Otros factores de riesgo son antecedentes familiares de cáncer tiroideo y de bocio crónico.

Existen varios tipos de cáncer tiroideo:

  • El carcinoma anaplásico (también llamado cáncer de células gigantes y fusiformes) es la forma más peligrosa de cáncer tiroideo; es poco común, pero no responde a la terapia con yodo radiactivo. El carcinoma anaplásico se disemina rápidamente.
  • El carcinoma folicular es responsable de aproximadamente el 10% del total de los casos y tiene una mayor probabilidad de reaparecer y diseminarse.
  • El carcinoma medular es un cáncer de células no tiroideas que normalmente están presentes en la glándula tiroides. Esta forma de cáncer de tiroides tiende a ser hereditaria y ha estado asociada a algunas mutaciones genéticas específicas. Requiere tratamiento diferente a los de otros tipos de cáncer de tiroides.
  • El carcinoma papilar es el tipo más común y generalmente afecta a mujeres en edad reproductiva. Se disemina lentamente y es el tipo de cáncer tiroideo menos peligroso.
  • Reviewed last on: 2/28/2011
  • David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

Ladenson P, Kim M. Thyroid. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 244.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Thyroid Cancer. Version 1.2011

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