Thyroid Cancer

The prevalence of thyroid cancer increases with increasing age and it is more common in women. Risk also increases with previous history of radiation to the head and neck, family history of thyroid malignancy and multiple endocrine neoplasia. Thyroid cancer can be differentiated like Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC) and Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma or undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma like Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma. The commonest type of differentiated carcinoma is PTC and has good prognosis. Follicular carcinoma is common in older people. Anapalstic variety is aggressive with worse prognosis due to rapid spread and is fortunately very rare. Medullary Thyroid Cancer arising from the C cells or parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland, secretes excess of calcitonin and is also rare. Malignancy should be ruled out in case of recent detection of a thyroid nodule, recent increase in size of a goitre, hoarseness of voice, clinical features of vascular or muscular infiltration and a heterogeneous appearance on ultrasonography.