The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland present under the skin, located at the base of the neck. Cancerous growth in the thyroid is termed thyroid cancer. The symptoms of the cancer generally do not show up at first. However, as the growth continues, symptoms start to show. There are different types of thyroid cancer, while some grow slowly and some could be very aggressive.
Due to advanced imaging technologies, an increasing number of thyroid cancer cases are being detected. This write-up focuses on the different types of thyroid cancer, unique characteristics, behaviours, and treatment approaches. Having a basic understanding of thyroid cancer classification helps in the accurate diagnosis and effective management. This article focuses on the primary forms, like papillary thyroid cancer, follicular carcinoma, medullary cancer, and anaplastic cancer.
The thyroid is the main organ for controlling the rate of metabolism of the body, including blood pressure, heart rate, body weight, and body temperature. It is a part of the endocrine system, and when it is not working properly, it can impact the entire body.
Thyroid cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells within the thyroid. This health condition does not cause any major noticeable symptoms at first. However, as the tumors start to grow, signs start to appear. This includes swelling in your neck, voice changes and difficulty swallowing.
Before getting into the details of each type of thyroid cancer, it is important to understand how thyroid cancer is diagnosed.
Thyroid cancer classification is done as per the World Health Organization’s classification of 2022. For diagnosis, a specialist doctor will have a look under the microscope at a few samples of thyroid cells. The doctor considers various factors for the classification of thyroid cancer.
The thyroid gland has two main cell types. These are follicular cells and C cells (these make calcitonin). Papillary thyroid cancer, follicular carcinoma, and oncocytic thyroid cancer start in follicular cells. Medullary cancer start in the C cells.
The doctor uses differentiation to understand how the thyroid cancer cells are different from normal thyroid cells under a microscope.
The classification of thyroid cancers is primarily based on the origin and appearance of the cancer cells under a microscope. On this basis, thyroid cancer can be either -
There is another type of thyroid cancer is Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC).
Let’s examine these types of thyroid cancer in detail.
This is a very common form of thyroid cancer. Gender-wise, this cancer is most prevalent in women. Age-wise, women in the age group of 30s and 40s are likely to develop this disease.
Characteristics:
This type of thyroid cancer is very prevalent in individuals aged 40 to 60 years. This form is common in women, too. Follicular carcinoma sometimes spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or bones. This type of cancer is comparatively more aggressive than papillary cancer.
Characteristics:
MTC grows in the parafollicular C cells of the thyroid. It is a rare thyroid cancer. Around one-fourth of medullary thyroid cancers result from a faulty inherited gene. This cancer type spreads to other body parts, like the lungs or liver.
Characteristics:
This is one of the rarest types of thyroid cancer, but also a severe type. It mostly occurs in older people and is most commonly seen in women. As far as thyroid cancer classification is concerned, it is classified as undifferentiated because the cancerous cells do not resemble normal thyroid cells. Anaplastic is an aggressive thyroid cancer as it tends to grow faster than other thyroid cancer types.
Characteristics:
Understanding the different types of thyroid cancer opens the route for accurate diagnosis and the best treatment plan. In certain thyroid cancers, differentiated types like papillary and follicular thyroid cancers produce desirable outcomes. In other types, rarer forms like medullary and anaplastic thyroid cancers require specialized management. Early detection is a must so that a customized therapeutic approach can be designed, helping improve patient outcomes in thyroid cancer care.