Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer accounts for about 1% of all tumors. In women, this disease occurs 2 times more often than in men. The average age of onset of the disease is 45-50 years.

Histologically, papillary cancer is the most common (60-70%), follicular cancer accounts for up to 30%; Anaplastic and medullary cancer is rarely detected. For papillary and follicular cancer, the main symptoms are the identification of a solitary node in the thickness of the thyroid gland. With anaplastic cancer, symptoms are most often associated with compression of neighboring organs and tissues - dysphagia, shortness of breath, hoarseness, pain, enlarged gland. With papillary cancer, regional metastases often develop; with follicular cancer, distant metastases develop; undifferentiated cancer develops gallopingly with generalization of metastasis.

Medullary cancer is a highly malignant form that leads to early metastasis. When making a diagnosis, importance is attached to cytological examination, radionuclide scanning, arteriography, and determination of tumor markers (calcitonin for medullary cancer).

Treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy, and radioactive iodine. Chemotherapy drugs that can be used include adriablastin, fluorouracil, and cisplatin.