The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 60,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer this year. Luckily, the five year survival rate for thyroid cancer is relatively high. If found early enough, patients can be treated and it is expected that less than 2,000 of those 60,000 diagnosed will die. Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer of the endocrine system and is considered the most curable of cancers. The key is spotting the symptoms of thyroid cancer early enough to undergo effective treatment.

What are the signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer?

Difficulty swallowing
Pain in the neck or throat
Sensitivity in the neck or throat
Hoarse voice
Difficulty breathing
Swelling of the lymph nodes
Persistent cough
Lump in the front of the neck near the Adams apple

For many, thyroid cancer is not diagnosed until a lump appears. Many of the symptoms listed above do not develop until the later stages of the cancer. It should be noted that thyroid cancer is relatively rare and for most, the above symptoms indicate a thyroid problem that is not cancer related. For instance, a person suffering from non-cancerous thyroid disease might experience a swollen neck and hoarse voice. There are also instances in which lumps or nodules are not cancerous. As a matter of fact, only about 5% found are malignant.

If you develop symptoms or feel a lump or nodule, you should contact your doctor immediately. He or she will perform an examination and probably order a biopsy of the mass. This procedure is painless and takes only a short time. Remember, even though the majority of instances in which symptoms develop indicate a non-cancerous problem, it is still important to take action. Delaying diagnosis reduces the chances for survival should the problem be cancer.

Symptoms may also vary based on the type of thyroid cancer a person develops. The four types of thyroid cancer include:

Papillary: the most common type of thyroid cancer, accounting for up to 80% of all diagnoses. It typically affects patients between the ages of 30 and 50, with females being three times more likely than males to develop this type of cancer.
Follicular: the second most common type of thyroid cancer, accounting for up to 15% of all diagnoses. It typically affects patients between the ages of 40 and 60, again with females three times more likely than males more likely to develop this type of cancer. It is considered more aggressive in older patients, but is still treatable.
Medullary: up to 10% of all thyroid diagnoses are for this type of cancer. It is believed to run in families and is associated with other endocrine disorders. It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 50, and an equal number of males and females are affected.
Anaplastic: this is the rarest form of thyroid cancer, affecting less than 5% of thyroid cancer patients. It typically develops after the age of 65 and affects more females than males. It is considered an aggressive and invasive form of cancer and is the least responsive to treatment.