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Call
(630) 938-6161
to Schedule a Consultation

25 N Winfield Rd Ste 505
Winfield IL 60190-1295

Thyroid Cancer

Overview

Thyroid Cancer Risk Factors

General Information

Thyroid cancer originates from one of the cells inside the thyroid gland, typically from within a nodule that has formed inside the thyroid.

The cause for most thyroid cancers is not known, not the fault of the patient (e.g. caused by diet, exercise, drinking, smoking, etc.), and not commonly passed down from family members (i.e. occurs sporadically).

  • Exceptions include:
    • Radiation treatments to the head and neck (particularly in childhood).
    • Proximity to radiation (from radioactive fallout – e.g. Chernobyl, or working with radiation or radioactive materials without proper protection).
    • Inherited genetically – typically multiple 1st degree relatives with thyroid cancer.
      • Accounts for 3 – 9% of Well Differentiated Thyroid Cancers.
    • Associated with rare genetic syndromes:
      • PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (Cowden’s disease), familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Carney complex, multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN 2A and 2B), Werner syndrome / progeria.

Most thyroid cancers are asymptomatic and discovered on routine physical exams (mass in the neck) or incidentally on imaging (e.g. CT, MRI, or ultrasound of the neck / chest).

  • The presence of thyroid cancer does not affect the function of the thyroid.
  • Therefore, thyroid cancers cannot be diagnosed or detected on thyroid hormone lab tests.
Central Neck Dissection

Statistics

  • 1.2% of all people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in their lifetime.
    • Estimated 43,720 new cases of thyroid cancer in the U.S. 2023.
      • ~ 3:1 female to male prevalence (31,180 female and 12,540 men).
      • Same female to male ratio across the world.
    • 2.2% of all new cancers in the U.S.
    • 12th most common cancer in the U.S.
      • 7th most common cancer for women.
    • 16th most common cancer worldwide.
      • 586,202 new cases diagnosed worldwide in 2020.
    • Most common cancer in adolescents and adults younger than 40 years.
    • 13.9 new cases of thyroid cancer per 100,000 people per year in the U.S.
      • Steady rise in incidence from 1990 – 2010.
        • Thought to be due to increased detection of small asymptomatic cancers from improved imaging and biopsy techniques.
      • Incidence has declined by 0.5% each year since 2010.
    • Average age at diagnosis is 51.
    • Older age is associated with increased incidence and worse survival.
  • Average overall 5-year survival rate (how many patients have not died from the thyroid cancer 5 years following treatment) for all stages is 98.5%.
    • Varies by type and stage of the cancer.
    • Overall stable since early 2000’s.
  • Estimated 2,170 deaths from thyroid cancer in the U.S. in 2023.
    • 0.5 thyroid cancer deaths per 100,000 people in the U.S per year.
    • 0.3% of all cancer deaths in the U.S.
    • Death rates similar between men and women.
      • Because thyroid cancer is less common in men, this means that thyroid cancer is generally more aggressive in men.
    • Although Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer makes up only1% of all thyroid cancers, it accounts for ~20% of all thyroid cancer related deaths.
  • Thyroid cancers tend to present more advanced (larger size and with spread to lymph nodes in the neck) in younger patients (adolescents and young adults).
    • Despite this more advanced presentation, treatment outcomes tend to be just as good or better in this younger patient population.
  • Given the relatively non-aggressive behavior and excellent prognosis for most thyroid cancers, recommendations against routine screening (i.e., thyroid ultrasound) have been made.

Thyroid cancers are grouped into Well-Differentiated and Non-Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancers

Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancers (WDTC) are generally far less aggressive and life threatening.

  • Accordingly, overall prognosis is better and treatment approaches are less aggressive compared to Non-Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancers.
  • WDTC’s arise from follicular cells of the thyroid gland and retain some degree of normal function.
  • 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.

Non-Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancers (nWDTC), behave more aggressively, accordingly requiring more aggressive treatment, and have worse prognosis.

  • They comprise the remaining 10% of all thyroid cancers and include:
    • Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (PDTC, 5%)
    • Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma (ATC, 1%)
      • Both PDTC and ATC are also derived from follicular cells of the thyroid and start out as WDTC’s.
      • However, after an accumulation of multiple DNA alterations (mutations, gene rearrangements, etc.) they completely lose their normal function and are no longer susceptible to radioactive iodine treatments or visible on whole body iodine scans.
      • As the result of multiple DNA alterations, they begin to behave more aggressively – invading nearby structures, spreading more quickly, and more likely to spread to distant sites in the body.
    • Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC, 4%)
      Arise from Parafollicular C Cells in the thyroid gland.
      25% of patients have germline (hereditary) mutations associated with MEN 2A and 2B syndromes.

To learn more about thyroid cancer:

Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer:

Non-Well Differentiated Thyroid Cancer:

Miscellaneous Thyroid Cancer:

 

To learn more about the Thyroid, head back to the Thyroid main page here.

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