In life, people often talk about cancer discoloration, but there is a kind of cancer, but because of the relatively low degree of malignancy, the occurrence and development are slow, and the 5-year survival rate is as high as more than 90%, which is regarded as the moderate in cancer, or called "lazy cancer", it is thyroid cancer.
Director Zhu Youhua (right) was a guest at Jimu News Studio, and the first on the left was the host Zhang Hengwei
In the latest Hubei cancer annual report, thyroid cancer ranks second among women aged 35 to 64. As a common malignant tumor of the endocrine system, how should thyroid cancer be prevented? Is thyroid cancer really as "lazy" and mild as it is said? How should patients correctly understand their own condition? How should patients receive standardized treatment for thyroid tumors?
On the afternoon of April 22, in the fourth session of the "323 Tackle-Cancer Prevention and Control Expert Talk" column, Zhu Youhua, chairman of the Thyroid Cancer Professional Committee of Hubei Anti-Cancer Association, chief expert of thyroid cancer of Hubei Provincial Cancer Hospital, and chief physician of head and neck surgery, was a guest in the Jimu News live broadcast room, and unveiled the true face of thyroid cancer as a "moderate" for the majority of netizens through nearly 1 hour of down-to-earth explanation. Jimu News broadcast the whole process.
Thyroid cancer "favors" women and young people
"First of all, I would like to tell you that thyroid cancer is the fastest growing cancer in recent years. In the last 15 years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has increased almost 2-3 times. Director Zhu Youhua said at the beginning, "However, the good news is that although the incidence rate is increasing, the mortality rate of thyroid cancer has not increased significantly. ”
Zhu Youhua explained that the thyroid gland is located below our larynx, on both sides of the trachea, and the thyroid hormone it secretes is vital for our growth and development, metabolism, etc., so to speak, the thyroid gland is the "engine" in our body. "When there is a cancerous nodule in the thyroid gland, we call it thyroid cancer. ”
When talking about the characteristics of thyroid cancer, Zhu Youhua mentioned that the incidence of thyroid nodules is very high, and it can even reach 25%-75%. "This means that nearly half of people are likely to find a thyroid nodule during a normal physical exam. He said that the number of new cases of thyroid cancer has also continued to rise, from 200,000 in 2016 to 400,000 to 500,000 now.
Director Zhu Youhua was a guest at the Jimu News Studio
In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has been on the rise, especially among young people. Zhu Youhua believes that this is related to many reasons such as modern people's lifestyles and environmental factors. "For example, staying up late, smoking, unreasonable eating habits, etc., will seriously affect the body's immunity, cause damage to the thyroid gland, and thus increase the risk of cancer. ”
Regarding the risk factors for thyroid cancer, Zhu Youhua mentioned several aspects: "First of all, family factors. If there is a thyroid cancer patient in the immediate family, then the risk of the disease will be 2-3 times higher than that of the normal person. The second is the effects of radiation, especially in cases where the neck is exposed to large amounts of radiation for a long time, such as nuclear power plant accidents or special industries such as mining. In addition, obesity is also an important susceptibility factor. Finally, there are 2-3 times more female patients than male patients, which has something to do with estrogen. Especially during pregnancy, thyroid cancer may grow faster due to progesterone stimulation. ”
When talking about iodine intake, Zhu Youhua suggested: "Iodine intake needs to be moderate, too much or too little may affect thyroid health. He stressed that in iodine-deficient areas, the use of iodized salt significantly reduces the incidence of endemic goiter (Great Neck disease) and other thyroid diseases, where iodine plays a vital role in thyroid metabolism. "In our Hubei region, iodine deficiency is a common phenomenon due to geographical location. Therefore, it is recommended that everyone consume iodized salt reasonably, do not choose non-iodized salt at will, and there is no need to increase or decrease the intake of iodized salt. ”
Benign and malignant thyroid nodules look at "birth"
"With the increase in health awareness, more and more people are discovering thyroid nodules through physical examinations. But don't panic too much, as most nodules are benign. Zhu Youhua emphasized that after discovering thyroid nodules, the first thing to do is to go to the hospital for professional examination to make a clear diagnosis. "People are more concerned about the symptoms and whether it's cancer. It would be more accurate to leave these questions to a medical professional. He pointed out that most benign nodules do not need to be overly concerned and can be observed regularly, while in the case of thyroid cancer, targeted treatment is required according to the specific type.
Director Zhu Youhua
Regarding the relationship between the benign and malignant nodules and their size, Zhu Youhua explained: "The benign and malignant nodules are determined at the time of 'birth' and are not directly related to their size. We often encounter large lumps, which are actually benign, but there are also many millimeter-sized nodules, less than 3 mm, 5 mm, and 1 cm, which are already microcancers. He cautions that the nature of a nodule cannot be judged solely by its size.
When talking about the physical examination report, Zhu Youhua pointed out that high-resolution color ultrasound is an effective means to check the thyroid gland. He explained in detail the classification criteria in the color ultrasound report: "Most of the three categories below are benign, and the four categories and above need to be paid attention to. Especially when the classification reaches 4a and above, the likelihood of carcinogenesis gradually increases. He suggested that for patients with nodules, a color ultrasound examination once every six months is sufficient, and it is not necessary to over-examine it too often.
Zhu Youhua also reminded the public to pay attention to the early symptoms of thyroid cancer: "Although most thyroid cancer patients have no obvious symptoms in the early stage, there are still some signs worthy of vigilance. He listed possible symptoms such as a lump in the neck, hoarseness that does not heal for a long time, obstruction in swallowing or difficulty breathing, and stressed that these symptoms should be examined as soon as possible if they persist for a long time. He also mentioned a more insidious type of thyroid cancer - retrosternal goiter, which is deep and difficult to find in physical examinations, and may require CT and other imaging examinations to find it. Regular professional check-ups and consultations are key to staying healthy. ”
"Lazy cancer" also has a "sinister" side
Although thyroid cancer is often referred to as "lazy cancer", it is still necessary to be wary of its "sinister" side. Zhu Youhua explained that there are four types of thyroid cancer, among which the most common papillary carcinoma and follicular carcinoma, accounting for 90% of thyroid cancer, its development is relatively slow, early treatment effect is good, and the 5-year survival rate can reach more than 90%, so it is called "lazy cancer". However, this does not mean that all thyroid cancers are mild, and some patients have tumors that change the degree of differentiation and develop into poorly differentiated or undifferentiated tumors, which have a poor prognosis and are difficult to treat. In addition, there are also types of thyroid cancer with a high degree of malignancy, such as medullary carcinoma and undifferentiated thyroid cancer, especially undifferentiated thyroid cancer, whose one-year survival rate does not exceed 10%, which is more dangerous than pancreatic cancer and liver cancer.
For the treatment of thyroid cancer, Zhu Youhua emphasized the importance of standardized treatment. At present, the main treatment methods for thyroid cancer include surgery, endocrine suppression therapy and iodine-131 therapy. Among them, surgical treatment is the most important method. Treatment strategies vary for different types of thyroid cancer, such as papillary and follicular carcinomas, but surgery is still preferred, and the principle of surgical treatment is to remove as much tumour tissue and affected lymph nodes as possible.
Regarding the choice of surgery, Zhu Youhua explained that the choice of total thyroidectomy and half thyroidectomy depends on a number of factors, including the size of the tumor, whether it invades the capsule, blood vessels, and whether the lymph nodes metastasize. He emphasized that the surgery should take into account the aesthetic needs of patients as much as possible on the premise of ensuring the treatment effect. For patients with cosmetic needs, cosmetic surgical methods such as laparoscopic surgery may be considered.
In terms of functional protection, Zhu Youhua specifically mentioned the protection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands. He said these two functions are essential for the patient's quality of life after surgery. Doctors try to protect these structures as much as possible during surgery to reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications.
In addition, Zhu Youhua also explained in detail the important treatment method of iodine therapy. He said iodine therapy is mainly suitable for patients with a high risk of recurrence after thyroid cancer surgery. Iodine therapy can effectively remove residual thyroid tissue and metastatic lesions, and improve the cure rate. However, at the same time, it is also necessary to pay attention to the selection of indications and the grasp of the timing of treatment, which needs to be carried out under the guidance of professional doctors.
In short, Director Zhu Youhua reminded the majority of netizens that although thyroid cancer is called "lazy cancer", it is still necessary to remain vigilant, detect and standardize treatment in time. During the treatment process, patients should maintain a positive attitude and cooperate with the doctor's treatment plan to achieve the best treatment results.
(Source: Jimu News)