Thyroid Nodules – Are They A Cancer?

Now, This over here is the thyroid gland. It is located in the area of the neck. If within this gland, Solid or fluid-filled lumps form. We call them Thyroid Nodules. If you have been diagnosed with thyroid nodules or you assume you have them. The first thing to understand is that most of them are benign in their nature and you shouldn’t be scared. This however does not mean that you should not consult a doctor and have it examined. A few things that might be done in this case are lab results to analyze levels of thyroid hormones or calcitonin and the tsh hormone but besides these lab results, That are usually easier to analyze an ultrasound or a medical imaging procedure called centigraphy might be required. this is where skills of a clinician come into play because recognizing a dangerous cancer on an ultrasound display is not the only challenge here. visualizing this cancer is also hard. iI is a matter of practice and competence but if these nodules indeed are cancerous and malignant. What types of cancer are we actually talking about here but before i explain the outcome, possible outcomes. I have to ask you something. A lot of people have thyroid nodules and youtube and other websites will not suggest them my videos unless you subscribe and like the video that’s the only way their algorithms can actually see that you like my video. Well, Cancers can sometimes have an excellent prognosis and this is something that is usually told to thyroid cancer patients because luckily they suffer from the so called papillary carcinoma. The papillary carcinoma has an excellent prognosis and under a microscopic investigation. Its cells have nuclei that appear empty and rounded another type of cancer that can develop in the thyroid gland is follicular cancer and follicular cancer usually invades the thyroid capsule and its vasculature a well-differentiated. Follicular cancer would normally have cells that can produce thyroid hormones and thyroglobulin is used as a screening marker for this cancer. The third type of thyroid cancer is rather rare and it produces calcitonin. Under microscopic examination, We might find somewhat larger more granulated chromatin. Additionally amyloid fragments are present as well so in this case. Calcitonin is a very important screening factor for this cancer. This third type of cancer i’ve just described is called medullary cancer and the first two types of cancer i described were well differentiated. This means that their original functions and characteristics are still somewhat present. It means that their own self-regulation mechanisms do not allow them. Some extremely aggressive growth and also their characteristics to take in iodine make them a great target for radioactive iodine therapy for a less differentiated cancer such as medullary cancer. Radioactive therapy makes no sense but because it can produce calcitonin we can use this as a screening marker to diagnose it as early as possible but what if some cancers just change too much and they lose almost all of their initial functions and characteristics and just become extremely aggressive towards the surrounding tissue. We call that an undifferentiated cancer and sadly such cancers can also happen in the thyroid gland. Anaplastic cancer is an undifferentiated type of thyroid gland cancer and it has the worst prognosis of all the thyroid gland cancers. Treatment of this cancer consists of surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy and even with such invasive management and an aggressive radio and chemotherapy options. This cancer sadly has a poor prognosis. So, Three most important situations where a doctor can show his competence and skills are the following first listening to the patient and trying to figure out these additional signs that might come with these thyroid nodules and might indicate that a malignant disease is present. The second situation where doctor’s competence is truly tested is the ultrasound examination. Certain characteristics of these thyroid nodules during the ultrasound examination indicate that changes we see are indeed malignant and the third situation is of course if this malignant cancer is diagnosed and a surgery has to be performed surgical removal of the thyroid gland can cause damage to the laryngeal nerve but also parathyroid glands which can be found right next to the thyroid gland. This can ultimately result in additional symptoms and in a condition called hyperparathyroidism. So, from the start till the end. From the start of examination until the end of treatment doctors competence is really tested. A skilled and a well-educated doctor should be able to perform these kinds of examinations and show his competence and skills during a surgery or an ultrasound examination. So, Both of you doctors and patients, We have something for you if you’re a doctor and you want to make videos like these then go to anatomsky.com but if you’re a patient and you have more questions about thyroid nodules or thyroid cancers then go to simtomsky.com/help/thyroid-cancer