Vocal hoarseness and bifurcation may indicate thyroid cancer

Thyroid nodules form in the thyroid gland and can cause cancer. Thyroid cancer, which is relatively benign compared to other cancers and can be eliminated by treatment, is more common in women. Treatment varies according to the type and spread of thyroid cancer. From the Department of General Surgery of Memorial Service Hospital, Prof. Dr. Gürsel Remzi Soybir gave information about thyroid cancer and the treatment process.

One of the most common thyroid gland diseases is thyroid nodules, which may not always indicate cancer. The cancer risk of a patient with a nodule in the thyroid can be determined according to the structure of this nodule. There are different types of this cancer. Papillary and follicular types are the most common.

Be careful if there is hoarseness with the nodule!

Thyroid cancer can sometimes be asymptomatic. It is important to evaluate personal risk factors and family history as well as symptoms in the accurate diagnosis of diseases caused by the thyroid gland. Nodule formation has an important place among the symptoms of thyroid cancer. Of course, not every nodule means cancer.

Symptoms of thyroid cancer include;

• Hoarseness or bifurcation with thyroid nodule,
• Fullness, swelling and pain in the neck,
• Difficulty in breathing or swallowing,
• If there are lymph nodes in the neck with the nodule,

If the patient has received radiation to the neck or around the neck in any way in the previous stages of his life, the nodules found in these patients are much more likely to be associated with cancer.

When a nodule is encountered in such patients, further investigations should be made, even if it is very small and innocent-looking. Ultrasound and needle biopsy, which are used in the definitive diagnosis, are extremely safe methods. In addition, the nodules that are functionally evaluated and seen as active in scintigraphy are classified as hot nodules and the ones that are not active are classified as cold nodules. Cold nodules are much riskier for cancer.

The appearance and structure of the nodules are important

In addition to the appearance of the nodule on the ultrasound, its size is also important. Generally, a nodule over 1 cm still involves a risk, regardless of its appearance on the ultrasound. In such a nodule, a needle biopsy is performed and the diagnosis is made. Even if the nodule is smaller than 1 cm, if it is considered risky on ultrasound or if a cancer-related symptom is observed, then a needle biopsy is performed on these nodules as well. Whether the nodules are benign is determined by biopsy. After the biopsy is performed, the patient's treatment continues according to the result.

If the nodule cannot be diagnosed, it falls into the risky class

Sometimes, there may be cases where the biopsy material taken is insufficient and the biopsy should be performed again. Sometimes, although the biopsy material is sufficient, a diagnosis may not be made. In such a case, undiagnosed nodules are placed in the risky class and surgical procedure is performed accordingly. There is no problem for nodules with good results, and treatment continues for nodules diagnosed with cancer.

Surgery is performed according to the type and spread of cancer

If a cancer is diagnosed in the thyroid nodules, it often needs to be surgically removed. According to the type of cancer detected and its prevalence in thyroid tissue, some or all of the thyroid tissue is removed. In cases where the entire thyroid tissue is removed, the patient should use drugs that fulfil the functions of the thyroid gland for a lifetime. If the cancer has reached a large extent, if the cancer cells have protruded outside the thyroid nodules, or if they involve other tissues around them, then the surgery performed on these patients will not be sufficient. In addition to these, it is necessary to perform a treatment called radioactive iodine therapy. After these treatments are completed, patients are kept under follow-up.

Prepared by the Medical Editorial Board. Our health library contents have been prepared for informational purposes only and with the scientific content on the registration date. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis or treatment about your health, please consult your doctor or health institution.