Thyroid cancer
Thyroid cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the thyroid gland.The thyroid is a gland at the base of the throat near the trachea (windpipe). It is shaped like a butterfly, with a right lobe and a left lobe. The isthmus, a thin piece of tissue, connects the two lobes. A healthy thyroid is a little larger than a quarter. It usually cannot be felt through the skin. The thyroid uses iodine, a mineral found in some foods and in iodized salt, to help make several hormones. Thyroid hormones do the following:
There are four main types of thyroid cancer:
See the PDQ summary on Unusual Cancers of Childhood Treatment for information about childhood thyroid cancer. |