Thyroid cancer

Symptoms of thyroid cancer

Symptoms

Tests and next steps for thyroid cancer

Diagnosis

Treatment for thyroid cancer

Medical treatments

Causes of thyroid cancer

Causes

Symptoms of thyroid cancer include a lump in the lower front part of the neck, a hoarse voice and difficulty swallowing or breathing.

Tests for thyroid cancer include blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the neck and taking a sample from the thyroid gland to check for cancer (biopsy).

The main treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery. You may also have hormone therapy, radioactive iodine treatment, targeted medicines or radiotherapy.

You may be more likely to get thyroid cancer if you're a woman, a close family member has had thyroid cancer, or you have another thyroid condition.

Main symptoms of thyroid cancer

Symptoms of thyroid cancer include:

• a lump in the front, lower part of your neck – the lump usually feels hard, slowly gets bigger and is not painful
• a hoarse voice
• difficulty swallowing or breathing
• pain in the front of your neck, or a feeling like something is pressing against your neck

Less common symptoms can include:

• a red face (flushing) – this may be harder to see on brown or black skin
• softer poos or diarrhoea
• weight loss
• a cough

Information

If you have a thyroid condition, such as a goitre (swollen thyroid), you may get symptoms like these regularly.

You might find you get used to them. But it's important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.

When and where to get medical help

It's important to get help if you think you have symptoms of thyroid cancer.

See a GP if:

• you have a lump in your neck
• you have a hoarse voice that's not getting better
• you have difficulty swallowing that's not getting better
• you have pain in the front of your neck, or a feeling like something is pressing against your neck

Who is more likely to get thyroid cancer

Anyone can get thyroid cancer but it is more common in women.

Women are more likely to get it in their early 40s and men are more likely to get it in their 70s.

It's not always clear what causes it. You might be more likely to get it if:

• you're overweight or obese
• you have a condition that affects the thyroid such as a swollen thyroid (goitre), Hashimoto's disease or nodules (non-cancerous lumps) in or on your thyroid
• you have a close family member who has had thyroid cancer
• you were exposed to a lot of radiation or had radiotherapy treatment in the past, especially if it was when you were a child
• you've had certain cancers before such as breast cancer, oesophageal cancer, testicular cancer or non-Hodgkin lymphoma

How to lower your chance of getting thyroid cancer

You cannot always prevent thyroid cancer. But making healthy changes can lower your chances of getting it and other types of cancer.

Do

• try to lose weight if you are overweight

• try to cut down on alcohol – avoid drinking more than 14 units a week

Main tests for thyroid cancer

If the GP refers you to a specialist, you may need more tests and scans to check for thyroid cancer.

Tests you may have include:

• blood tests
• an ultrasound scan of your neck
• taking a small sample from your thyroid gland using a needle (biopsy), to be checked for cancer

You may not have all these tests.

Main treatments for thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is often treatable.

The treatment you have will depend on:

• the size and type of thyroid cancer you have
• if it has spread
• your general health

It will usually include surgery. It may also include hormone therapy, radioactive iodine treatment, targeted medicines, radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

The specialist care team looking after you will:

• explain the treatments, benefits and side effects
• work with you to create a treatment plan that's best for you
• help you manage any side effects

You'll have regular check-ups during and after any treatments. You may also have tests and scans.

If you have any symptoms or side effects that you're worried about, talk to your specialists. You do not need to wait for your next check-up.