Thyroid Cancer At A Glance

• The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones which are important in the normal regulation of the metabolism of the body.
• There are four major types of thyroid cancer.
  
• The cause of thyroid cancer is unknown, but certain risk factors have been identified.
  
• The National Cancer Institute recommends that anyone who received radiation to the head or neck in childhood be examined by a doctor every 1 to 2 years.
  
• The most common symptom of thyroid cancer is a lump, or nodule, that can be felt in the neck.
  
• The only certain way to tell whether a thyroid lump is cancer is by examining the thyroid tissue obtained using a needle or surgery for biopsy.
  
• Surgery is the most common form of treatment for thyroid cancer that has not spread to other areas of the body.