Thyroid Cancer
Genetic Mutations and Modifications
What is Thyroid Cancer?
Thyroid cancer develops when the cells of the thyroid gland grow and divide in a disorderly way.
The four main types of thyroid cancer are: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic.
Thyroid Cancer and Genetic Mutations
Many cancers begin when one or more genes in a cell are mutated (changed), creating an abnormal protein or no protein at all. The information provided by an abnormal protein is different from that of a normal protein, which can cause cells to multiply uncontrollably and become cancerous.
A person may either be born with a genetic mutation in all of their cells (germline mutation) or acquire a genetic mutation in a single cell during his or her lifetime. An acquired mutation is passed on to all cells that develop from that single cell (called a somatic mutation). Somatic mutations can sometimes be caused by environmental factors, such as cigarette smoke. Most thyroid cancers are considered sporadic, meaning that the damage to the genes occurs after a person is born and there is no risk of passing on the gene to a person's children. Inherited thyroid cancers are less common (about 10%) and occur when gene mutations are passed within a family from one generation to the next.
Thyroid Cancer- Signs and Symptoms
Thyroid cancer usually develops slowly, without many obvious symptoms.
- The most common symptom is a painless lump in the neck or throat which may gradually get bigger.
- You may experience hoarseness and difficulty swallowing or breathing.
- Other symptoms are swollen lymph glands in your neck that may slowly grow in size over months or years and gastrointestinal changes such as diarrhoea and constipation.
Thyroid Cancer- Treatments
Treatments for thyroid cancer may include:
- Surgery
- Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Radioactive Iodine Treatment
- External Radiotherapy or Chemotherapy