Papillary Thyroid Cancer - Research Paper

Introduction

Papillary carcinoma (PTC) is the most well-known type of very much separated thyroid malignant development/growth. It is in some cases called papillary thyroid carcinoma and commonly known as it results through exposure to radiation. This type of cancer shows up as a random strong or cystic mass or knob in normal thyroid parenchyma (Xu et al., 2003). Regardless of its all-around separated qualities, papillary carcinoma might be unmistakably or negligibly obtrusive. This assignment will concentrate on papillary thyroid malignant basics.

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Thyroid cancer is a common kind of cancer that is formed in the thyroid gland by the thyroid cells (Lu et al., 2005). The thyroid gland is a human organ that is found on the neck and is situated on the lower part of the neck and below Adam's apple.

The thesis statement of this paper is, thyroid cancer is a rare type of cancer in America, but the rate at which thyroid diseases are emerging then the country has to stay alert and the doctors and researchers should take time to study it. On side of mechanical progressions, the cases that were not easily determined in the past of thyroid cancer have been reduced by technology as it is easily identified so the generation of this time has a reason to smile.

Cause of Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Most ordinarily, papillary thyroid tumors are absolutely asymptomatic. The type of cancer occurs when the thyroid cells suffer from growth that is not normal which is mainly caused by alteration of the DNA of the thyroid cells (Xu et al., 2003). Nonetheless, the most well-known indication is a mass in the neck. Papillary carcinoma regularly emerges as a solid, cystic mass or sporadic that originates from generally ordinary thyroid tissue. This kind of malignancy has a cure rate of ten years of living for all the patients that have the papillary thyroid disease evaluated at over ninety percent. The cervical metastases in the neck which are spread to lymph hubs are available in half of the little papillary carcinomas and in over seventy-five percent of the bigger papillary thyroid carcinomas.

The availability of this lymph hub metastasis in the neck zone normally has a progressive visit repeat rate yet not a higher death rate. The inaccessible spread of papillary thyroid malignant growth is called metastasis. Inaccessible metastasis of papillary thyroid malignant growth is not common, yet when it occurs; it might spread to the liver, lungs, and bones. Papillary thyroid malignant growths that attack the encompassing tissues beside the thyroid organ have much more regrettable anticipation in view of a high local repeat rate (Parthasarathy, & Crawford, 2002).

Statistics

Papillary thyroid cancer has a target that it commonly strikes of the people aged thirty years and above whether male or female. Women are mainly affected where the ratio of female to male suffering is three is to one. The living expectancy of the people suffering from the disease is five years for nine out of ten who have papillary thyroid cancer after its discovery in the body. In every ten people who suffer from follicular carcinoma that has been discovered, eight of them have a life expectancy of five years while those suffering from medullary carcinoma live five years after the discovery of the disease for every seven out of ten (Parthasarathy, & Crawford, 2002). The thyroid cancer can shift to other places like the bones and lungs after it has been treated.

In the case of children, the thyroid cancer too has a high chance of affecting them and it affects mostly the kids that live near factories which manufacture energy and nuclear weapons. The factories at times have to make accidents in their working and this can cause the children to have a high chance of acquiring cancer like in the case where lots of children were affected by thyroid cancer in nineteen eighty-six after an accident in a company (Xu et al., 2003). This was because most of the kids were exposed to the radioactive emissions released and hence the suffering cases went high at the time but, the kids whose meals had high amounts of iodine chances were low that they could suffer from cancer.

Signs and Symptoms

In most cases, papillary thyroid cancer has no signs that are noticeable. This mainly in the early stages and mostly know about it when they are tested for other emerging problems or during routine checkups and the doctor can feel and notice a lump on the thyroid known as the nodule (Lu et al., 2005). Nodules are lumps which are of growths that carry fluids or solids and despite their commonness, they often have a low chance to carry trouble but one out of ten has cancer. Thyroid cancer has the following signs and symptoms:

• The occurrence of lumps on the neck area that are easily felt and are seen;
• Hoarseness or sore throat which is persistence and does not go away;
• Experience difficulties when swallowing that cause pain or find food and pills being stuck on the throat;
• Trouble when breathing common when one is lying down;
• Lymph nodes swell in the neck region.

Test and Diagnosis

Papillary thyroid cancer can be tested through the following:

Physical Exam

This is where the doctor tests cancer by feeling the abnormal growth in the neck region. The doctor will also ask some few questions to be able to understand the symptoms of the patient so that he or she can determine whether the patient suffers from papillary thyroid cancer.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a kind of test that uses sound waves to view the inside of a body by taking a picture of the internal parts. This helps the doctors to learn more on the nodules that the victim has. It's through the size, shape and some other pictures that the doctor is able to determine through clues how of a problem the body is suffering and how the disease can be contained.

Blood Test

Doctors use a blood test as a common way to test for cancer where they test the level of thyroid hormones in your body. This kind of test does not necessarily show whether one has cancer rather it shows how the thyroid hormone is working in the body hence giving the direction of the body.

Biopsy

In this case, the doctor tests cancer through the taking of samples of the nodule which is obtained through using a thin needle to take a sample of the nodule.

Treatment

The Papillary thyroid cancer in the early stages has to be checked regularly using the ultrasound. In case there all requirements of treatment; these are the common procedures;

Surgery

In some incidences, the doctors remove the thyroid as a whole together with the lymph nodes which look as if they can cause problems. At times when the cancer is small, the doctors may opt to remove some parts of thyroid removed. To some doctors, this is not the best option as they suggest that the best option is removing the entire thyroid. The doctors suggest that the follow-up process can be made to work easier and also lower the chances of cancer coming back:

Radioactive Iodine Ablation (RAI)

Treating a patient using surgery alone at times might not completely cure the papillary thyroid cancer. This is where the RAI comes in; the thyroid is tested after the operation. This will help the doctor to determine whether the RAI is necessary to avoid cancer from reoccurring.

The RAI is a treatment where you take a pill one time that has radioactive iodine which when taken in by the remaining thyroid cells, it will lead to the killing of the cells (Kimaru et al., 2003). It has an advantage to the body since it only soaks the thyroid cells hence it does not have any side effects on the body.

The RAI ablation is used to one's body if the nodules one had were longer than four centimeters. The other reasons are; if cancer moves to the lymph nodes, if cancer has been spread to any other body part and, cancer has grown beyond the thyroid.

Thyroid Hormone Pills

These pills are taken when one has undergone surgery. The main importance of these pills is to introduce to the body the hormones that the thyroid removed should be producing. The victim has to take the pills for the rest of their life where they take one pill a day (Xu et al., 2003). The pills also help the body by stopping the production of thyroid stimulating hormone. This hormone is responsible for guiding the pituitary gland on when to pump out the hormones to the body. The advantage of stopping the production of the thyroid stimulating hormone is that if the body can start producing thyroid cells which would cause the recalling of the papillary thyroid cancer.

Prevention

It is not clear to the doctors what the main cause of cancer is (Lu et al., 2005). It is, therefore, better to prevent papillary cancer by reducing the chance of contacting it for those who have a high risk of the treat. These are some ways;

Prevention of People With the Highest Risk

Children and adults that have a gene mutation that is inherited and increases the risk factor of thyroid cancer are regularly enlightened to prevent cancer through Thyroid surgery. This is done through discussing with the genetic counselor of the possible options and getting an explanation of cancer the best treatment options.

Prevention of Cancer for Individuals Near Nuclear Power Plants

Accidents in the nuclear facilities are the main threat causing the problem of Thyroid cancer to the people living within the areas around the plants.in an example; in the United States people who live in a radius of ten miles from the nuclear processing plants are eligible to receive potassium iodine as a form of medication. The potassium iodine is used to prevent the thyroid from being affected by the radiation; in case of an accident is when the families around the area use the potassium iodine tablets so as to be safe from thyroid cancer. In case an individual wants to get more information of the same, they are advised to contact their local emergency management department or their state.

Papillary Thyroid Cancer Gene

When it comes to the gene causing papillary thyroid cancer, many DNA mutations have been found and they have changes in cancer in specific parts of the gene RET. The form of the gene-altered known as PTC oncogene is found to be ten to thirty percent of the papillary thyroid cancer. The biggest percentage of cancer that affects children is connected to radiation exposure. The RET mutations are not acquired from the parents rather from the life one lives.

Papillary cancer also has a mutated BRAF gene occasionally which is less common to children and those who contact it is from radiation and exposure (Kimaru et al., 2003). BRAF is known for spreading cancer quickly to other body parts.

Home Care

When one is diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer they have to cope socially, emotionally, physically, and practically. This helps one to come in terms with the shocking news of the diagnosis and find methods to cope. The patients have to deal with them in this way;

Socially

It is important for one to have support from the people around them. This reduces stress, depression, and anxiety leading to a better life.

Emotionally

It is normal for the victims to live in fear, anger, depression, and anxiety when they are diagnosed with cancer but it's the role of the people around them to calm them down by changing them positively. The victim should also join a support group online and locally so as to share and get advice from survivors

Physically

The physical components to deal with papillary thyroid cancer help one to have better outcomes of their treatment. One example is following the treatment plan strictly and following the medical practitioners' orders to have a good recovery from cancer (Parthasarathy, & Crawford, 2002). The p...