Join our Community and subscribe to our eNewsletters
Sign-up now! or Log in
Home › Learn about medullary thyroid cancer

Learn about medullary 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.

Medullary Thyroid Cancer Forms

Medullary thyroid cancer, also called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), is one of the least common types of thyroid cancer. There are 4 forms (or types) of medullary thyroid cancer: sporadic, MEN 2A-associated, MEN 2B-associated, and familial. This article will go over the 4 forms of medullary thyroid cancer, giving the basics of each type.

Medullary Thyroid Cancer Treatments

The main aspect of medullary thyroid cancer treatment is relatively straightforward: remove the thyroid. Regardless of the form of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), a total thyroidectomy is performed to prevent the cancer from spreading to other parts of the thyroid gland.

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: Medullary Cancer

This page includes more advanced information on a specific type of thyroid cancer. . .

Thyroid Cancer

There are about 37,000 new cases of thyroid cancer each year in the US, according to the National Cancer Institute. Females are more likely to have thyroid cancer at a ratio of three to one. Thyroid cancer can occur in any age group, although it is most common after age 30, and its aggressiveness increases significantly in older patients.
Syndicate content