Thyroid cancer - papillary carcinoma
Alternative Names
Papillary carcinoma of the thyroidSymptoms
Thyroid cancer usually begins as a small bump (nodule) in the thyroid gland, which is located at the front of the neck. However, it should be emphasized that most thyroid bumps are harmless and noncancerous (benign).
Exams and Tests
If you have a lump on your thyroid, your doctor will order blood tests and an ultrasound of the thyroid gland.
If the ultrasound shows that the lump is bigger than 1.0 centimeter, a special biopsy called a fine needle aspiration (FNA) will be performed. This test determines if the lump is cancerous or benign (not cancerous).
Thyroid function tests are usually normal in patients with thyroid cancer.
References
Larsen PR, Kronberg HM, Schlomo M, et al. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 10th ed. St. Louis, MO: WB Saunders; 2003:469-473.
Hemminki K. Familial risks for nonmedullary thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005; 90(10): 5747-5753.
Kumar V, Abbas AK, Fausto N. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 7th ed. St. Louis, MO: WB Saunders; 2005:1177-1180.
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