Cancer. Facts Everyone Should Know.

If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. More than 30 million Americans have a thyroid disorder and an excess of 60, Americans are affected by thyroid cancer annually. If you're relatively young and otherwise healthy, you may not be too concerned with the "c" word.

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But I know from experience that thyroid cancer can blindside you: Here's what you should know. She also adds that thyroid cancer is the number-one cancer in women ages 15 to 29 and the second most common behind breast cancer for women ages 30 to Some studies suggest estrogen is a growth factor both for benign and malignant thyroid cells, further suggesting gender plays a role in the prevalence of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, though more research is needed to solidify this claim.

I was only in the habit of doing a self-exam on my breasts.

When I paid more attention in the mirror, I could actually see the lump move when I swallowed. The oncologist immediately picked up on my hoarse voice, the result of the mass pressing on my trachea and vocal cords. He also asked me if I had any trouble swallowing in the past few months. I did, but never guessed that it was related to my thyroid.

17 Cancer Facts You Need to Know

These grow very slowly and usually develop in only one of the two lobes that make up the gland. While papillary carcinomas often spread to the lymph nodes in the neck, these cancers can usually be treated successfully and are rarely fatal. There are several subtypes of papillary carcinoma, one being what I have: When found early, this subtype has a good prognosis.

After papillary carcinoma, the next most-common type of thyroid cancer is follicular carcinoma, which accounts for about 1 in 10 thyroid cancer cases. It's more prevalent in countries where people aren't ingesting enough iodine through their diet. While these cancers usually do not spread to lymph nodes, they can spread to other parts of the body, commonly the lungs or bones.

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This type grows in C cells, so-called because they normally produce calcitonin, a hormone involved in calcium metabolism. It is easier to control and treat if it's caught early on before it has a chance to spread to other parts of the body. While the exact cause of most thyroid cancers is not known, several risk factors have been linked to the disease.

Radiation to the head and neck is one of them, says Dr. This is interesting to me because at 14, I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis the abnormal curvature of the spin. I underwent dozens of X-rays of my neck and spinal cord during diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Did that radiation exposure give me cancer?

10 Lung Cancer Facts for World Cancer Day

I can only speculate. Other risk factors include nuclear power plant accidents or weapons testing, a diet low in iodine not a risk for most Americans , family history, and genetics. Thyroid cancer incidence has doubled since the s, but that's likely due to early surveillance and heightened awareness.

Similar to an ultrasound technician dropping a blob of cold lubricant on a pregnant woman's belly, the same is done on the neck region. The tool used looks exactly like the one administered to track a fetus' growth. For a positron emission tomography PET scan, a radioactive substance is injected into the blood.

Cancer cells absorb more of the substance than normal cells, which makes them show up on the scan. PET scans are often used to determine whether thyroid cancer has spread because it can look for cancer all over the body.

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For the child, the parents, the siblings. The fear and anxiety of relapse and losing your child never ever goes away. For the ones who do, the battle is never over. My childhood cancer wake-up call came when I was 22 years old, just starting my life out, seeing another year-old with terminal relapsed Ewing sarcoma. I was starting my life, he was on hospice care because there were no further options to save his. Talk to the parent, grandparent, caregiver or a survivor of childhood cancer.

What critical fact about childhood cancer would you add to the list? Share your suggestion in the comments below. Find this story helpful?

Thyroid Cancer: 15 Facts Everyone Should Know - Health

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