Thyroid Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that in 2018, there will be about 53,990 new cases of thyroid cancer in the United States. Of those cases, 40,900 will be women and 13,090 men. Unfortunately, women have a higher risk of mortality with 1,100 cases of death and 960 for men.

Thyroid cancer can occur in any age group, however, your risk of developing thyroid cancer is higher after the age of 30, and it significantly increases in older adults. The chance of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer has dramatically risen within the last few years and is considered the fastest growing cancer in the United States, nearly tripling in the past three decades. The rise is due in part to the use of thyroid cancer detection technology, which can detect the presence of thyroid nodules (tumors). These new modalities have been a lifesaver to many patients as the thyroid cancer would have gone undetected in the past.

Forms of Thyroid Cancer

There are four different forms of thyroid cancer:
Papillary/follicular thyroid cancer (MOST COMMON)
Follicular cell thyroid cancer
Medullary thyroid cancer
Anaplastic thyroid cancer

Risk Factors

History of radiation to the head, neck, or chest, especially in infancy or childhood
Family history of thyroid cancer
Female gender
Age 30 and over
Exposure to radiation from nuclear accidents or nuclear testing areas

Symptoms

Thyroid cancer does not always cause symptoms; often, the first sign of thyroid cancer is a thyroid nodule. Other symptoms include:
A lump in the neck
Neck pain or tightness
Hoarseness
Difficulty swallowing
Difficulty breathing
Persistent cough
Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck

How Thyroid Cancer is Treated

Surgery is the most common method of thyroid cancer (tumor) removal. A month or two following surgery the treating physician may recommend the patient to undergo radioactive Iodine(which is given to the patients with certain types of thyroid cancers). If there are any normal thyroid cells or remaining cancer cells, these cells will absorb the radioactive iodine. The goal of this treatment plan is to kill any remaining thyroid cancer cells.

Chicago ENT Aids in the Fight Against Thyroid Cancer

Chicago ENT offers the expertise and experience of highly skilled and fellowship trained physicians.  It is the mission of Chicago ENT to provide you with the safest, most effective and minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgical options available. Chicago ENT’s very own Dr. Michael Friedman is one of the worlds’s leading thyroid and parathyroid experts and surgeons. Dr. Friedman has authored and published numerous articles and textbooks, and has lectured on thyroid and parathyroid surgery all around the world.  Dr. Friedman has performed over 5000 thyroid procedures.

That’s why more and more patients travel to Chicago ENT from across the globe for diagnoses, second opinions and advanced thyroid and parathyroid disease treatments.

To schedule your appointment with one of our multi-disciplinary teams of experts, please call us at 773-296-5500 or schedule online 24 hours a day, seven days a week-click here!