Learn about anaplastic thyroid cancer

Thyroid Cancer Treatments

Your doctor stages your thyroid tumor in order to develop the most effective treatment plan. Thyroid cancer treatment almost always includes surgery, although the type of surgery is influenced by the patient's age and tumor size. Some small thyroid cancer tumors are cured only with surgery.

Thyroid Tumor Staging

Staging is a medical practice that is used to standardize classification of thyroid tumors. It helps doctors communicate with each other about a patient's tumor. It also helps your doctors provide you with valuable information about your thyroid tumor.

Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis

Unlike other cancers which are usually treated by an oncologist (doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer), thyroid cancer is usually treated by an endocrinologist (specializes in endocrine gland problems) and a surgeon. Remember that early detection and treatment are essential to a good outcome.

Thyroid Cancer Symptoms, Possible Causes, and Risk Factors

A neck lump or nodule is the most common symptom of thyroid cancer. You may feel a lump, notice one side of your neck appears to be different, or your doctor may find it during a routine examination.

Incidence and Types of Thyroid Cancer

The National Cancer Institute indicates that thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine-related cancer and estimated to affect more than 37,000 people in 2009.1 Although a diagnosis of thyroid or any type of cancer is frightening, the vast majority of thyroid cancers is highly treatable and in most cases curable with surgery and other treatments.

Thyroid Cancer Symptoms

Thyroid cancer doesn't always have symptoms, so it can be hard to detect and diagnose. In fact, some of the possible symptoms aren't actually caused by thyroid cancer itself. Instead, these symptoms can be caused by a thyroid nodule—and thyroid nodules aren't necessarily cancerous.

Thyroid Cancer: Anaplastic Cancer

This page includes more advanced information on a specific type of thyroid cancer—anaplastic thyroid cancer. Please read our Introduction to Thyroid Cancer article first, which gives a general overview of all types of thyroid cancer.