Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer

January is National Thyroid Awareness Month, making it the perfect opportunity to learn about the thyroid and understand thyroid cancer signs and symptoms if you or an aging loved one may be suffering.

What is the Thyroid?

The thyroid is a hormone gland shaped like a butterfly located along the windpipe and above the breastbone. It releases thyroid hormones into the bloodstream to maintain growth and development. Thyroid hormones include triiodothyronine, which is responsible for physiological processes in the body, such as body temperature and heart rate, and tetraiodothyronine, which controls the cells' oxidation rate.

What is Thyroid Cancer?

Thyroid cancer can happen at any age, but it's most frequently diagnosed between 45 and 64. While thyroid cancer can be treated, the risk of fatality increases with age and is highest among those aged 75 to 84, according to the National Cancer Institute. It's unknown what causes most thyroid cancers, but risk factors include those who have a family history of thyroid cancer, those whose diets are low in iodine, and those who are overweight.

The thyroid gland is comprised of follicular cells, C cells, lymphocytes cells, and stromal cells. Cancer can develop in any of these cells. Where the cancer develops determines the severity and treatment. The three main types of thyroid cancer include:

Differentiated: Developed from follicular cells, differentiated cancers are the most common type of thyroid cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 80 percent of thyroid cancers are a type of differentiated cancer called papillary cancer. This slow-moving cancer typically develops in one of the thyroid gland lobes and spreads to the lymph nodes. Papillary cancer is rarely fatal. Other differentiated cancers include follicular cancer, which accounts for 10 percent of cases and often spreads to the lungs or bones, and Hurthle cell cancer, which makes up for 3 percent of cases.
Medullary: About 4 percent of thyroid cancers are medullary. This type of cancer can be challenging to treat and often spreads to the lungs, lymph nodes, and liver. The two types of medullary cancer are sporadic, which primarily occurs in older adults, and familial, which is hereditary and often occurs when the person has other types of tumors.
Anaplastic: This is a rare type of thyroid cancer that only accounts for 2 percent of cases. It's hard to treat and quickly spreads throughout the body.

While each type of cancer may produce different symptoms, common symptoms across all types include a lump in the neck, trouble swallowing or breathing, pain in the neck or ear, or a persistent hoarseness in the voice.

Caring for a Loved One with Thyroid Cancer

A cancer diagnosis for a loved one can be overwhelming and will undoubtedly affect the care they need. If you're caring for a loved one with thyroid cancer, consider these tips.

Educate yourself on Thyroid cancer. If your aging loved one is diagnosed with Thyroid cancer, one of the best things you can do for them is to educate yourself about the condition. Your loved one will be getting a lot of information from doctors and be asked to make decisions about treatments and recovery. If you're educated on the matter, you can provide guidance and reduce some of the overwhelming feelings they may experience. Ask their doctor for materials to help you learn more, and don't hesitate to ask doctors questions to make sure you fully understand all of your loved one's options.
Provide assistance with household chores. If you're unable to provide daily assistance to your loved one, consider hiring a part-time caregiver. Trusted caregivers, such as those who work for Visiting Angels, assist in caring for your loved one while also giving you time to relax and recharge so you can bring your best self to your loved one.
Focus on more than the cancer. When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, their life often becomes run by appointments, treatments, and doctor's notes. While it's kind to make yourself available to them for support during this time, it's also helpful to provide them with normalcy. Remember, your loved one is still a person, and their whole life doesn't need to be about cancer. Encourage them to continue doing activities they love, seeing friends and family, and living their life for as long as it's safe for them to do so.

How Visiting Angels Can Help

Caring for a loved one with cancer can be a full-time job. If you need assistance caring for an aging loved one, Visiting Angels Daphne is here to help. Our team of compassionate caregivers can provide transportation to appointments, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, and personal grooming. Our office serves seniors in Baldwin County and the greater Mobile area. If you're interested in learning more about our services, give us a call at 251.517.9700.