In the field of female oncology, thyroid cancer and breast cancer are consistently among the most prevalent cancers.
This also makes many female friends or even male friends who inadvertently find nodules in the neck or chest have serious "health anxiety".
So what exactly are these nodules? And what to do? Let the editor tell you.
1
What should I do if a thyroid nodule is found?
The thyroid gland is the largest endocrine gland in the human body, located in the front of the neck, and mainly secretes thyroid hormones, which regulate the body's basal metabolism and affect growth and development.
In life, we find that nodules in the thyroid gland are often at the time of physical examination, do not panic when you get the physical examination report! You know, 95% of our thyroid nodules are benign!
Among them, the smaller benign nodules generally do not need to be treated, and regular follow-up is sufficient. Surgical resection is only considered when larger nodules have pressure on the trachea and esophagus, causing dyspnea, dysphagia, or a high suspicion of malignancy.
At the same time, the current thyroid surgery technology in the mainland has also made great progress, and the endoscopic thyroid surgery (through the mouth, through the breast, through the armpit approach) has gradually matured, and the friends who love beauty do not have to worry about leaving a long scar on the neck after surgery.
Thyroid malignant tumors in the tumor cure rate is also quite high, so when we appear thyroid nodules, do not be busy panic, in addition to actively following the doctor's advice to actively deal with, first reflect on whether the recent mental pressure is too big, life schedule is not regular, adjust their own life rhythm, give their body and mind a holiday is more important.
2
Can breast nodules become cancerous?
Breast nodules are also a problem that we often encounter clinically, and many patients inadvertently find that they have something on their chest and panic at once.
In fact, most breast nodules are benign, and clinically only 4% to 10% of breast nodules are malignant.
Similarly, it is not that a nodule will become breast cancer sooner or later, this is also a score of benign nodules and malignant nodules. We have to do some tests accordingly, such as B ultrasound and molybdenum X-ray examination that we often do.
When you feel that you have nodules in your chest, judge good and bad, we may as well start from these points:
feel
Generally speaking, the surface of the nodule is smoother, and those that feel slippery can slide with the push and squeeze of the fingers, and the possibility of benign nodules is greater, while malignant nodules are the opposite.
In line with the benign traits above and no other symptoms, then we observe regularly, write down the time when the nodule is found, how big the nodule is at this point in time, and record it once a month. If the nodules are not very long, we will send you a sentence from my mother when I have nodules: "It's okay, just pass." ”
It doesn't hurt
Some friends will feel unilateral or bilateral breast swelling and pain at the same time as the chest lump, do not rush, first see if the pain is rhythmic, rhythmic pain is likely to be a breast hyperplasia, this rhythmicity is mainly reflected in premenstrual pain and post-menstrual relief; early breast cancer will less appear pain.
Remind everyone that breast hyperplasia is good or bad, not according to the degree of pain, most of the "bad" things are not necessarily painful. There are hyperplasias, there are lumps in time to find a doctor to check, confirm benign do not have to worry.
Nipple discharge
Our main concern about nipple discharge is its color, if the discharge is serous or colorless, it often indicates that it is a physiological discharge or originated from breast hyperplasia; if the nipple discharge is brown or bloody, it needs to be done breast mirror examination.
The production of thyroid nodules and breast nodules is often closely related to our mental level and life schedule, and maintaining a happy and healthy state of life can effectively inhibit and prevent the occurrence of these two nodules.
Source: Popular Science China (ID: Science_China)
Expert of this article: Shao Shuai, School of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, master's degree candidate
This article is reviewed by Haobin Wang, MD of Heidelberg University, Germany, deputy chief physician of breast and thyroid surgery of Chengdu Third People's Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University), and master supervisor
Producer: Mou Yanqiu Huang Linhao
Editor: Gu Peng
Proofreader: Liu Yiran