Cancer Care Center Of Decatur

Thyroid cancer symptoms

Not all thyroid cancers produce symptoms. When symptoms do occur they may consist of:

lumps or nodules in front of the neck (single or multiple)
enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
problems with swallowing
hoarseness or voice changes
pain or discomfort in the neck
chronic cough

What are the causes of thyroid cancer?What is cancer? - cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumors (except in the case of leukemia where cancer prohibits normal blood function by abnormal cell division in the blood stream). Tumors can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that alter body function. Tumors that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign.

More dangerous, or malignant, tumors form when two things occur:
a cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymph systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion
that cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called angiogenesis.

Age, diet, and stomach disease can affect the risk of developing gastric cancer.

Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk. Risk factors for gastric cancer include the following:

Having any of the following medical conditions:
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection of the stomach.
Chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach).
Pernicious anemia.
Intestinal metaplasia (a condition in which the normal stomach lining is replaced with the cells that line the intestines).
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or gastric polyps.
Eating a diet high in salted, smoked foods and low in fruits and vegetables.
Eating foods that have not been prepared or stored properly.
Being older or male.
Smoking ci******es.
Having a mother, father, sister, or brother who has had stomach cancer.
Symptoms of gastric cancer include indigestion and stomach discomfort or pain.

These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by gastric cancer or by other conditions.

In the early stages of gastric cancer, the following symptoms may occur:

Indigestion and stomach discomfort.
A bloated feeling after eating.
Mild nausea.
Loss of appetite.
Heartburn.
In more advanced stages of gastric cancer, the following signs and symptoms may occur:

Blood in the stool.
Vomiting.
Weight loss for no known reason.
Stomach pain.
Jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin).
Ascites (build-up of fluid in the abdomen).
Trouble swallowing.
Check with your doctor if you have any of these problems.

Tests that examine the stomach and esophagus are used to detect (find) and diagnose gastric cancer.

The following tests and procedures may be used:

Physical exam and history : An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
Blood chemistry studies : A procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body. An unusual (higher or lower than normal) amount of a substance can be a sign of disease in the organ or tissue that produces it.
Complete blood count (CBC): A procedure in which a sample of blood is drawn and checked for the following:
The number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
The amount of hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen) in the red blood cells.
The portion of the sample made up of red blood cells.
Upper endoscopy : A procedure to look inside the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (first part of the small intestine) to check for abnormal areas. An endoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is passed through the mouth and down the throat into the esophagus.