Who is susceptible to thyroid cancer? How to prevent it?
Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer of the endocrine system, accounting for 90%. Women are more likely to get it than men, and the age group of 30-40 is also the group that often gets this disease.
Types of thyroid cancer
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the front and center of the neck. The thyroid produces the hormones thyroxine (also known as T4) and triiodothyronine (also known as T3). These hormones play an important role in the body's metabolism, affecting body temperature, mood and irritability, heart rate, digestion, and more.
Sometimes thyroid tissue begins to grow uncontrollably, which can cause one or more growths to form in the thyroid. It is not clear why this happens. Cancerous nodules can invade tissues in the neck, spread to surrounding lymph nodes or the bloodstream, and then to other parts of the body.
There are four types of thyroid cancer:
- Papillary carcinoma:This is the most common type, accounting for more than 70% of thyroid cancers. This type of cancer usually grows slowly and does not spread quickly into surrounding tissues.
- Cyst:This type accounts for 10 to 15 percent of thyroid cancers. Follicular cancer can travel through the bloodstream and into other areas of the body, such as the lungs or bones.
- Marrow:This type accounts for 4% of thyroid cancers. It is more likely to develop if there is a family history of this type of cancer (others in the family have had the disease).
- Undifferentiated carcinoma:This type is very rare (about 2% of thyroid cancers). It is a fast-growing cancer that spreads quickly into surrounding tissues. Treatment for this type of cancer is less effective than the other three types.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer
The thyroid is the body's largest endocrine gland, responsible for producing and releasing thyroid hormones into the blood. Because thyroid diseases, especially thyroid cancer, often have no obvious symptoms, they are often detected at a late stage, making treatment difficult.
Most cases of thyroid cancer have no signs or symptoms in the early stages. One or more of the following symptoms may occur as thyroid cancer progresses: Unusual lumps in the neck Pain in the lower front part of the neck Difficulty breathing Difficulty swallowing Hoarseness Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck
Having one or more of the above symptoms does not necessarily mean you have thyroid cancer, as other conditions can also cause these symptoms. However, you need to see a doctor to get an accurate diagnosis of whether the symptoms are caused by cancer or another disease.
People at high risk of thyroid cancer
Anyone can get thyroid cancer, but the risk of thyroid cancer is higher in the following groups:
- Gender: Women are three times more likely to develop thyroid cancer than men.
- Age: In women, thyroid cancer is usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 50. Men are usually diagnosed between the ages of 60 and 70.
- Family history (genetics): Thyroid cancer can sometimes run in families. Inheriting an abnormal gene can increase your risk of developing medullary thyroid cancer.
- Radiation exposure: Radiation treatments to the head and neck, especially those given early in life, can lead to thyroid cancer. Exposure to radiation from a nuclear power plant explosion also increases the risk. Tests that use radiation for medical diagnosis do not cause thyroid cancer.
- History of goiter: History of goiter treated for a long time.
- Iodine deficiency: Iodine is needed to produce thyroid hormones. Thyroid cancer is more common in many parts of the world, especially in places where there is a lack of iodine in the diet, such as Central Asia and Central Africa.
Can thyroid cancer be prevented?
There is no way to completely prevent thyroid cancer. However, the following steps may help reduce your risk of thyroid cancer:
- Ensure moderate iodine content in the body
Consuming too much iodine or too little iodine will lead to the gradual formation of thyroid disease. Therefore, it is necessary to eat iodine properly in the daily diet, the amount should follow the prescribed standards, not too much or too little.
If you do not know whether the iodine content in your body is within normal limits or not, you can go to the hospital to check and do tests to know the standard index. If the iodine content in your body is too high, you should eat less iodine-rich foods and vice versa, if it is deficient, you should supplement it.
- Need to have a scientific lifestyle and living habits
Consuming too much bad fat will increase the risk of thyroid cancer, so everyone needs to have a healthy diet, avoid fast food, fried foods with lots of oil and increase the intake of fruits, green vegetables, foods rich in vitamins...
You should practice the habit of going to bed early, waking up early, and drinking plenty of water to help eliminate some of the waste and toxins in your body. Drinking plenty of water can also help your body become healthier.
- Reasonable weight control
Weight control not only prevents thyroid cancer but also many other diseases, so exercise should ensure a reasonable body weight.
Also, try to eat less unhealthy foods, as there are so many things that contain hormones nowadays. Instead, eat more healthy and nutritious foods to ensure your body is safe, helping your body operate in the most normal and stable conditions.
- Avoid harmful effects of radiation
One of the factors that makes people more susceptible to cancer is radiation. Not only that, medical imaging tests are also harmful to human health, so they should not be abused and should be consulted with specialists.
