1. Sterling Mackert
10/22/2014
Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer is the growth of cancerous cells in either the left
or right lobe of the thyroid. Many cells can be affected by thyroid
cancer, and which cells are affected determines the type, severity, and
side effects of the cancer. Although the thyroid is the source of T
cells, the major fighters of our immune system, the damage of cancer
does not impose a great risk with 97.8% surviving five years and
thyroid cancer only making up for 0.3% of cancer deaths in 2014.
Thyroid cancer has a number of risk factors. Typically suffers of
thyroid cancer have a history of goiter or family history of thyroid
disease. Women are also at a higher risk of thyroid cancer as well as
Asian ethnic groups. Thyroid cancer is also more common in people
between the age of 25 and 65.
To fully understand thyroid cancer it helps to understand the
physiology of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland sits inferior to the
thyroid cartilage and is made up of two lobes, right and left, as well as
the isthmus a narrow structure which connects the two lobes together
in a butterfly shape. The thyroid is made up of Follicular cells, C cells,
Lymphocytes, and Stromal cells.
Papillary carcinoma is the most common form of thyroid cancer
and makes up about 80% of all thyroid cancers. This form of cancer
grows very slowly and generally affects one lobe of the thyroid.
Despite its slow growth papillary carcinoma has a tendency to spread to
the lymph nodes of the neck. Despite its ability to metastisize papillary
carcinoma is easily treat and frequently has a good prognosis.

2. Follicular carcinoma is the second most common form of thyroid
cancer accounting for 10% of thyroid cancers. Follicular carcinoma
affects the follicular cells in the thyroid and tends to spread to the
lungs or bones. It is more prevalent in countries with low iodine diets.
Although harder to treat than papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma
is treatable and still has a very good prognosis in most cases.
Hürthle cell carcinoma, also known as oxyphil cell carcinoma, is a
variant of follicular carcinoma, which makes up for 3% of thyroid
cancers. Oxyphil cell carcinoma does not have as good of a prognosis as
typical follicular carcinoma because it is less likely to absorb
radioactive iodine making it harder to find and treat.
Medullary thyroid cancer accounts for 4% of thyroid cancers and
develops in the C cells of the thyroid, which make calcitonin. Since
medullary thyroid cancer tends to lead to hyper-secretion of calcitonin
the bones tend to break down more than is needed and the high blood
calcium can be detected by a blood test. This is helpful since medullary
thyroid cancer often metastasizes to the liver, lungs, or lymph nodes
before the malignant nodule can be detected. Medullary thyroid cancer
does not take up radioactive iodine which means a bad prognosis for
medullary thyroid cancer victims. Although as of 2011, Vandetanib was
approved by the FDA as the first drug to treat medullary thyroid
cancer by affecting medullary thyroid cancer’s ability to grow and
expand.
Despite the many forms of thyroid cancer most can be easily
treated and few forms can result in a fatality. Since thyroid cancer is
on the decline, with treatments such as radioactive iodine and
Vandetanib, doctors can give a good prognosis with confidence in most
cases. Since 97.8% of victims survive past 5 years and only 3% of
cancer death is thyroid related.

3. Works Cited
"What Is Thyroid Cancer?" American Cancer Society. N.p., 20 Mar.
2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
"Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Turning Cancer
Data Into Discovery." Cancer of the Thyroid. N.p., n.d. Web. 19
Oct. 2014.
"U.S. Food and Drug Administration." FDA Approves New Treatment
for Rare Form of Thyroid Cancer. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
"Thyroid Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)." National Cancer Institute. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.