Signs of metastatic thyroid cancer

I had thyroid cancer for a year, did not have surgery but took herbal medicine. Recently, I have had a sore throat, and a feeling of something stuck in my throat when swallowing. Is this a sign of metastasis? (Thuy Linh, 35 years old, An Giang)

Reply:

The thyroid gland produces hormones that aid in metabolism, control blood pressure and many other body functions.

If thyroid cancer is not treated or treated improperly, cancer cells can invade the muscles, esophagus, trachea, larynx, blood vessels in the neck and metastasize to the lymph nodes... Malignant tumor cells can also spread to areas farther from the thyroid gland such as bones, brain, liver, lungs... Distant metastasis of thyroid cancer reduces the effectiveness of treatment. Brain metastasis is often the most difficult to treat.

Depending on where thyroid cancer metastasizes, symptoms vary. When cancer metastasizes to the bones, symptoms may include brittle bones, spinal cord compression, bone pain, bone loss, etc.

Thyroid cancer that has metastasized to the lungs causes dry cough, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. If it has metastasized to the liver, the patient may experience abdominal pain, weight loss, discomfort, and fatigue.

Thyroid cancer patients may also have no signs of metastasis. You should see a doctor to check the size of the tumor, whether it has invaded or metastasized, and to plan appropriate treatment. Early stage thyroid cancer, small in size, the 5-year survival rate can be over 90%, and can be considered cured.

The doctor may order an ultrasound, PET scan, MRI, chest X-ray... for examination.

Treatment for metastatic thyroid cancer depends on the extent of the spread of the malignant tumor. If the cancer has not progressed beyond the thyroid gland, the patient only needs surgery to remove one or two lobes of the thyroid gland. If the cancer has metastasized to the lymph nodes, the surgeon removes the affected nodes. The patient may receive supportive treatment with radioactive iodine. If the metastasis is distant, the doctor will use chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, etc.

Master, Doctor, Specialist II Doan Minh Trong
Head and Neck Unit, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City

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