{"id":48174,"date":"2022-01-19T09:30:19","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T14:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=48174"},"modified":"2022-01-24T10:37:42","modified_gmt":"2022-01-24T15:37:42","slug":"thyroid-nodules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/thyroid-nodules\/","title":{"rendered":"What are thyroid nodules?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Types of thyroid nodules<\/a> | Causes<\/a> | Symptoms<\/a> | When to worry<\/a> | Treatments<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Your thyroid gland hugs your trachea on the front of the neck, just above your sternum. It\u2019s usually described as a butterfly or bow tie shape. If your thyroid is in good condition, you most likely weren\u2019t aware it was there. However, there are several conditions and diseases that can change the way it looks and feels, making it more obvious and noticeable. A thyroid nodule is one of the most common culprits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Millions of Americans experience thyroid nodules every single year. A thyroid nodule is an abnormal lump that has grown on your thyroid gland. Some thyroid nodules are solid tissue, while others are fluid filled. Depending on the cause, you may need surgery or medication to treat it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost thyroid nodules don\u2019t need any treatment or cause any symptoms,\u201d according to <\/span>John Abikhaled, MD, general surgeon at Austin Surgeons<\/span><\/a>. \u201cHowever, a small percentage do, including the [approximately] 5% that are cancerous.\u201d Here\u2019s everything you need to know about thyroid nodules, what causes them, and how they\u2019re treated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of thyroid nodules<\/h2>\n

There are lots of different types of thyroid nodules. <\/span>Over 90%<\/span><\/a> of them are benign, meaning that they aren\u2019t caused by cancer. Benign nodules can still be an indicator that something is going on. Sometimes, it\u2019s the main symptom for an underlying illness or thyroid disorder. Depending on the kind of thyroid nodule you have, your healthcare provider will inform you of next steps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Benign thyroid nodules<\/span><\/h3>\n

Learning that your thyroid nodule is benign, or noncancerous, can bring you great relief. But, you may still need treatment to prevent it from affecting your health. These are the most common kinds of benign thyroid nodules:<\/span><\/p>\n

Thyroid adenoma<\/span><\/h4>\n

A thyroid adenoma is a benign tumor that has grown on your thyroid. Even though the word tumor may sound alarm bells in your mind, you can rest assured that this kind isn\u2019t cancerous.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are two different kinds of thyroid adenomas: inactive and active (also called toxic). If a thyroid adenoma is active, that means it can produce thyroid hormones on its own, and often too much thyroid hormone than what you need. It can result in an overactive thyroid, called hyperthyroidism, and other health issues. On the other hand, inactive thyroid adenomas don\u2019t increase the thyroid hormones in your body.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thyroid cyst<\/span><\/h4>\n

A cyst is a lump that is mostly filled with fluid. Some also contain bits of tissue. Thyroid cysts are usually caused by a thyroid adenoma that is breaking down. They are benign in most cases, but can contain cancerous tissues in rare instances. Thyroid cysts need to be treated with fine needle aspiration therapy, otherwise they don\u2019t usually go away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Goiter<\/span><\/h4>\n

Goiter is a condition that makes your thyroid gland swell, and it\u2019s the <\/span>most common thyroid condition<\/span><\/a> among Americans. Some people may experience swelling across their entire thyroid gland, but other cases result in multinodular goiter. People who have multinodular goiter have several nodules spread across their thyroid. In both cases, the thyroid is usually visibly or palpably enlarged.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Malignant thyroid nodules<\/span><\/h3>\n

If a thyroid nodule is malignant, that means it\u2019s cancerous. Thyroid cancer isn\u2019t very common; it affects just <\/span>15.5 out of every 100,000 people<\/span><\/a> in the United States. There are four main types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Each type of cancer can cause a thyroid nodule, but they also have different treatment protocols and survival rates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Papillary thyroid cancer is the <\/span>most common<\/span><\/a> kind of thyroid cancer. It\u2019s caused by follicular cells in the thyroid gland and can easily spread to your lymph nodes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Follicular thyroid cancer is also caused by follicular cells. Unlike papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer cells don’t usually spread to your lymph nodes. Instead, it has a higher capacity to travel to organs that are a distance away, like your lungs or bones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Medullary thyroid cancer is also formed by follicular cells, but <\/span>1 in 4 cases<\/span><\/a> is the result of genetics, according to the American Thyroid Association. Families can pass thyroid cancer down through their bloodline. Due to its ability to occur in multiple members of the same family, it\u2019s extremely important to determine if it\u2019s caused by genetics after you\u2019re diagnosed. It can help detect early stage cancers in your family members and save their lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When they\u2019re caught early, papillary, follicular, and medullary thyroid cancers are very treatable, with almost 100% of people surviving at least five years when it’s caught early. Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a different story, though.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare but much more aggressive than the other kinds of thyroid cancer. It grows faster and has a much lower five year survival rate than the other thyroid cancers. In fact, <\/span>just 31% of people<\/span><\/a> diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer survive for five years or longer when it\u2019s detected early. That number drops significantly with more advanced stages of cancer. Only 10% of people with anaplastic thyroid cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes will survive at least five years, and that number drops even lower to just 3% if it spreads even further. Luckily, this deadly cancer accounts for <\/span>less than 2%<\/span><\/a> of all thyroid cancer diagnoses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes<\/h2>\n

There are a variety of factors that can influence the development of thyroid nodules. \u201cOvergrowth of thyroid tissue, chronic inflammation, iodine deficiency, or other risk factors can cause thyroid nodules,\u201d Dr. Abikhaled says. The prevalence of thyroid nodules is significantly <\/span>higher in people with iodine deficiency<\/span><\/a>. People with Hashimoto\u2019s disease are also at <\/span>increased risk for thyroid nodules<\/span><\/a>. Smoking cigarettes and exposure to nuclear radiation also increases risk for thyroid nodule and cancer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite these associations between thyroid nodules and potential causes, most cases of thyroid nodules have unknown causes. Some healthcare providers hypothesize a link between stress and thyroid issues, but there\u2019s no proven connection as of yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>How to treat iodine deficiency<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Symptoms<\/h2>\n

There are several clues that indicate the presence of a thyroid nodule. Some people may experience multiple symptoms, while others may have none at all. If you think you might have a thyroid nodule, here\u2019s what you should look out for:<\/span><\/p>\n