Thyroid Cancer

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Many patients in the early stages of thyroid cancer have no symptoms. As the cancer progresses, symptoms may include a lump or nodule in the front of the neck, hoarseness, neck or throat pain, enlarged lymph nodes, and/or difficulty swallowing, breathing, or speaking may occur.

There are four types of thyroid cancer: Papillary, Follicular, Medullary and Anaplastic, and most are highly curable with proper treatment. (Click here for detailed information about different types of thyroid cancer.)

PET Scanning may help by evaluating the cancer and determining the stage of the cancer, so the most appropriate therapy and treatment can be prescribed. (For detailed information about staging thyroid cancer, click here.)

While radioactive iodine scans are the most commonly used method of treating and monitoring thyroid cancer, differentiated thyroid cancer cells may transform over time and lose some or all of their ability to absorb radioactive iodine. These cells may, however, still be able to absorb FDG (used with PET scans), which could suggest thyroid cancer cells. Consult your physician if you have questions or need specific information about therapy and treatment of thyroid cancer.

In addition to early detection of thyroid cancer recurrence, PET scans can "significantly impact the treatment and diagnosis of persons suffering from thyroid cancer," according to a recent study published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. In the study, 64 thyroid cancer patients with negative radioactive iodine scans and elevated human thyroglobulin (hTg) levels had PET scans, and based on their PET scan results, treatment was changed for 32 patients (18 received additional surgery and 14 received either radioactive iodine therapy or external irradiation).

Detecting recurrence early and getting proper treatment are key to thyroid cancer survivors - and PET Scans can help.