'Thyroid Cancer Surgery' No Symptoms

Thyroid cancer has no symptoms.

However, if the cancer is advanced, the mass may be touched on the neck, the tumor may appear as a voice change due to vocal nerve involvement, and as the tumor grows, it may be difficult to swallow and breathe.

When diagnosed with thyroid cancer, there are many complaints of lethargy and pain, but most of them are not directly related to thyroid cancer.

The most basic treatment is surgery.

Depending on the type, size, number of nodules, peripheral tissue infiltration, and lymph node metastasis, total thyroidectomy or lobectomy may be performed and lymphadenectomy.

Removing the thyroid gland does not secrete thyroid hormones, so you should take thyroid hormones for life, and even if you have lobectomy, you may need to take thyroid hormones.

Thyroid cancer is evaluated by ultrasound to evaluate the shape and size of thyroid nodules and perform microneedle aspiration cytology or central needle biopsy to determine whether the cells are malignant.

Computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography and other imaging tests can evaluate lymph node metastasis. Thyroid function tests and thyroid scans are used to differentiate functional tumors.

The most important treatment is surgery.

The extent of resection is determined in consideration of the type and size of thyroid cancer, the age and stage of the patient, and can be divided into total thyroidectomy and lobectomy.

Since thyroid hormones are not secreted after total excision, this hormone must be replenished for a lifetime, and even if lobectomy is performed, thyroid hormone supplementation may be necessary because of hypothyroidism.

In general, the complications of thyroid cancer surgery are low.

Possible side effects after surgery include voice changes, hypocalcemia, and hypothyroidism.