- Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancers (WDTC’s) comprise 90% of all thyroid cancers and include:
- Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC), 84% of thyroid cancers.
- Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma (FTC), 4% of thyroid cancers.
- Oncocytic Cell Carcinoma (OCA, previously known as Hürthle Cell Carcinoma), 2% of thyroid cancers.
- WDTC’s arise from follicular cells of the thyroid gland and retain some degree of normal function.
- Most importantly they still uptake (or absorb) iodine which makes them susceptible to radioactive iodine treatments and visible on whole body iodine scans.
- WDTC’s arise from follicular cells of the thyroid gland and retain some degree of normal function.
- Overall, WDTC’s behave less aggressively with very favorable prognosis.
- 10-year survival rates for Stage I and II cancers are 98-100% and 85 – 95%, respectively.
- Decreased survival rates associated with age > 55, tumor > 4 cm, extra thyroidal extension (tumor growing through the capsule of the thyroid and invading nearby structures), and distant metastases (all reasons for higher stages).
- Most WDTC’s are asymptomatic and discovered during routine physical exams (as a mass in the neck) or incidentally found on imaging studies of the neck or chest.
- The presence of thyroid cancer alone does not affect the function of the thyroid.
- Therefore, you cannot diagnose or detect thyroid cancers by abnormalities in thyroid hormone blood tests.