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Thyroid cancer

Last reviewed: 5 Oct 2024
Last updated: 12 Apr 2024

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • palpable thyroid nodule
  • female sex
  • history of head and neck irradiation
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • extremes of age
  • family history of thyroid cancer
  • hoarseness
  • dyspnea
  • dysphagia
  • tracheal deviation
  • cervical lymphadenopathy
  • rapid neck enlargement
Full details

Risk factors

  • head and neck irradiation
  • female sex
  • family history of thyroid cancer
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • TSH
  • ultrasound, neck
  • fine-needle aspiration
Full details

Tests to consider

  • molecular analysis of cytology specimens
  • free T4
  • free T3
  • laryngoscopy
  • I-123 thyroid scan and uptake
  • core biopsy
  • CT neck
  • serum calcitonin
  • genetic testing for familial syndromes
Full details

Emerging tests

  • translaryngeal ultrasound
  • sentinel node biopsy

Treatment algorithm

ONGOING

papillary, follicular, or Hürthle

anaplastic

medullary

primary thyroid lymphoma

Contributors

Authors

Rajiv Datta, MD, FACS, FRCS, FICS
Rajiv Datta

Chairman

Department of Surgery

Professor Of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Chief

Division of Surgical Oncology

Chief

Division of Head and Neck Surgery

Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital

Oceanside

NY

Disclosures

RD declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Rosemarie Metzger, MD, MPH, FACS

Associate Professor of Surgery, Endocrine Surgery Division

Banner - University Medical Center

Phoenix

AZ

Disclosures

RM declares that she has no competing interests.

Lindsay Bischoff, MD

Associate Professor

Medical Director Vanderbilt Thyroid Center

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Nashville

TN

Disclosures

LB declares that she has no competing interests.

F. Fausto Palazzo, MS, FRCS

Consultant Endocrine Surgeon

Hammersmith & Charing Cross Hospitals

Clinical Lead for Endocrine Surgery

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Imperial College

London

UK

Disclosures

FFP declares that he has no competing interests.

  • Thyroid cancer images
  • Differentials

    • Benign thyroid nodule
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology: thyroid carcinoma
    • Consensus statement on mutational testing in thyroid cancer: defining advanced thyroid cancer and its targeted treatment
    More Guidelines
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