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If thyroid cancer develops in you, you don’t need to worry as much as you would with some other forms of cancer. This disease can be treated fairly well, but it is essential to detect it in time. What are the most common symptoms that allow you to diagnose the cancer early?
Thyroid cancer may be detected only by a doctor
A doctor is most likely to detect your possible thyroid cancer during an ultrasound examination or through laboratory test results. However, if you want to focus on the most common early symptoms that will lead you to see your doctor, then pay attention. They are usually very inconspicuous.
Among the most common early symptoms are undoubtedly neck swellings that have no obvious cause, such as tonsillitis or throat inflammation. Other symptoms may include enlarged glands or lymph nodes in the neck. Difficulty swallowing or a sore throat can be signs of a milder cold, but the combination with a hoarse voice may already indicate thyroid cancer.
Not all swellings indicate cancer
If you have felt an enlarged node on your neck, there is no need to immediately fear the worst. Be especially alert when you feel a small noticeable node in the front part of your neck. If this enlarged node is warm, it is usually an enlarged thyroid gland, which can cause weight loss or a rapid heart rate. This form is generally not associated with cancer. Concerns increase in the case of a cold nodule, which does represent a risk of cancer.
Thyroid cancer can be hereditary
Be particularly cautious if thyroid cancer has already been diagnosed in your family. It is usually a hereditary form of the disease. Thyroid cancer can be removed relatively easily by surgery, in which the entire lymph node is removed.
