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Thyroid cancer

Overview

Thyroid cancer is a cancer that's found in the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is in the front, lower part of the neck.

Symptoms of thyroid cancer include a lump in the lower front part of the neck, a hoarse voice, a sore throat and difficulty swallowing or breathing.

You may be more likely to get thyroid cancer if you're a woman, a close family member has had thyroid cancer, or you have another thyroid condition.

Things you can do to lower your risk of thyroid cancer and other cancers include losing weight, drinking less alcohol and not smoking.

Tests for thyroid cancer include blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the neck and taking a sample from the thyroid gland to check for cancer (biopsy).

The main treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery. You may also have hormone therapy, radioactive iodine treatment, targeted medicines or radiotherapy.

If you have thyroid cancer, you can get support from your specialist team and charities like the Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust and Macmillan.

Page last reviewed: 01/01/1970
Next review due: 01/01/1970