Thyroid cancer
What is thyroid cancer?
Thyroid cancer is classified by histology, cell of origin and degree of differentiation into papillary, follicular, medullary, poorly differentiated and anaplastic carcinoma.
Is thyroid cancer a ‘good’ cancer?
Thyroid cancer grows relatively slowly and often causes no symptoms. Once symptoms appear, the cancer may already have invaded surrounding tissue or begun to spread to nearby lymph nodes, which can affect survival.
Types
Papillary carcinoma is a well-differentiated thyroid cancer accounting for 75~80% of all thyroid cancers. It progresses very slowly, so if the tumor is smaller than 1cm the patient may be observed and surgery scheduled later. It is often found without symptoms, and cervical lymph node metastasis is common, but the prognosis is very good.
It accounts for 20% of all thyroid cancers and spreads through the blood vessels. The cancer cells grow slowly, so the prognosis is relatively good.
The prognosis is poorer than for papillary and follicular carcinoma. In some cases it appears as a form of familial or multiple endocrine neoplasia, so genetic testing of the family for early diagnosis and treatment is important.
Metastasis is common, it responds poorly to standard treatment, and the cancer cells grow very fast, so the prognosis is very poor.
Causes
Not well known to date
Risk factors
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High radiation exposure
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Family history
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a family history of medullary thyroid cancer, and
When accompanied by genetic abnormalities
When a thyroid test is needed
- 1
- The nodule has grown suddenly and recently.
- 2
- An uncomfortable pressure in the neck.
- 3
- The voice cracks even without vocal cord nodules.
- 4
- A hard lump is felt in the neck or lymph nodes.
- 5
- History of radiation exposure, such as radiotherapy.
- 6
- There is a family history of thyroid cancer.
Treatment
Surgery ranges from removing only one lobe to total thyroidectomy including neck dissection, depending on the patient's age, whether the tumor is malignant, its size, the extent of invasion into surrounding tissue and the presence of distant metastasis. After surgery, thyroid hormone medication is taken to reduce recurrence, and radioactive iodine therapy is added for some patients at high risk of recurrence.
Surgical method
St. Peter's Hospital's BABA (Bilateral Axillo-Breast Approach) endoscopic surgery removes thyroid cancer by inserting endoscopic instruments through micro-incisions of less than 1 cm in both armpits and around the areolae, rather than through a direct incision in the neck.
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Reduces the burden of scarring.
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Breast tissue is not affected, so breastfeeding is unaffected.
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Surgery can be performed safely even after breast plastic surgery.
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Revision surgery is possible even after previous endoscopic surgery.
This is a scarless technique in which 3 tiny incisions are made in the mucosa between the lower gum and the lip and an endoscope is inserted to remove the cancer (Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery, NOTES).
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Because a micro-incision is made in the oral mucosa, there is no skin scar after surgery and the mucosal wound heals quickly.
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It is not surgery through a skin incision, so there is less pain.
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After surgery the wound heals with simple tooth brushing and gargling, with no separate dressing needed.
Open neck surgery is the standard thyroid cancer operation that has long been performed worldwide. In most cases treatment is carried out through an incision of about 4-5 cm below the Adam's apple. The resulting scar can be a cosmetic burden for young women.
To minimize this burden, however, the St. Peter's Hospital Yoon Yeo Gyu Thyroid Clinic uses the technique developed by Professor Yoon, Yeo Gyu over more than 30 years of thyroid surgery to minimize the position and size of the incision, raising patient satisfaction.
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Total resection
The entire thyroid gland is removed.
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Lobectomy / partial resection
Only the thyroid lobe containing the tumor is removed.
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Subtotal resection
Nearly all of the thyroid is removed, leaving only a small part.
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Neck dissection
When metastasis to the lymph nodes around the thyroid in the neck is suspected, those lymph nodes are removed.
Post-treatment precautions
- Treatment results and duration may vary depending on individual symptoms.
- Temporary side effects may occur after treatment and vary with each individual's condition.