Thyroid Cancer

The exact cause of thyroid nodules remains unclear. However, several risk factors increase the chance of their development:

• Exposure to radiation treatments, especially to head and neck areas
• Family history of thyroid nodules
• Gender (women are more prone to thyroid cancer than men
• Diet low in iodine
• Some inflammatory thyroid disorders, including goitre (enlargement of the thyroid gland), hypothyroidism, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (an autoimmune condition that causes hypothyroidism).

Symptoms of thyroid cancer depend on the type of cancer but most thyroid nodules, benign or malignant, generally have the following symptoms:

• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing (in severe cases)
• Hoarseness of voice and voice changes
• Lump in the neck that moves with swallowing

Surgery is the main treatment for malignant thyroid nodules that are large and growing quickly. Treatments for thyroid cancer include:

• Conventional open thyroidectomy to remove half or the entire thyroid gland through a cut in the lower mid-neck region
• Robotic thyroidectomy, an advanced robotic surgery, to completely remove the thyroid gland without a cut in the neck. The point of entry for this surgery is in the armpit instead of the neck, leaving no visible neck scar after surgery
• Radioiodine treatment or radiotherapy which might be needed after surgery. Radioactive iodine, in liquid or capsule form, is consumed to destroy any thyroid tissue left in the body without harming other types of tissue.