Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. View sample

Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Illustration of the thyroid gland Thyroid gland

Thyroid cancer occurs in the cells of the thyroid — a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck, just below your Adam's apple. Your thyroid produces hormones that regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and weight.

Thyroid cancer isn't common in the United States. About 37,000 people are diagnosed with thyroid cancer each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Thyroid cancer rates seem to be increasing, which doctors think may be due to new technology that allows them to find small thyroid cancers that may not have been found previously.

Symptoms
References
  1. SEER stat fact sheets. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/hrml/thyro.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
  2. Thyroid carcinoma. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/thyroid.pdf. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
  3. What you need to know about thyroid cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/thyroid/allpages/print. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
  4. Cancer of the thyroid. American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochurs/cancer_of_thyroid.html. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
  5. Lal G, et al. Cancer of the endocrine system. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1271.
  6. Thyroid scan and uptake. RadiologyInfo. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=thyroiduptake. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
  7. Dralle H, et al. Surgical approaches in thyroid cancer and lymph-node metastases. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;22:971.
  8. Radioiodine (I-131) therapy for hyperthyroidism. RadiologyInfo. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=radioiodine. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
  9. Can thyroid cancer be prevented? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Can_thyroid_cancer_be_prevented_43.asp?sitearea=. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
  10. Use of potassium iodide. United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/emerg-preparedness/protect-public/potassium-iodid-use.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
  11. What can I do to prepare for a radiological emergency? United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/emerg-preparedness/prepare-for-radiological-emerg.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
  12. Kronenberg HM, et al. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:422.
  13. Nippoldt TB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 13, 2009.

DS00492

April 10, 2009

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger