Sore throat, early symptoms of thyroid cancer

Sore throat may be one of the early symptoms of thyroid cancer, especially when the sore throat lasts for a long time and is accompanied by hoarseness, neck lumps, difficulty swallowing, etc., you should pay attention to it and seek medical attention as soon as possible to screen for thyroid-related diseases. In addition, there are other potential causes that may cause these symptoms, which should be checked in time.

1) Sore throat and symptoms caused by thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer usually has no obvious symptoms in the early stages, but some types of thyroid cancer may affect the trachea, esophagus or nerves, causing sore throat, hoarseness or a foreign body sensation in the throat. These symptoms are mostly caused by tumor stimulation or compression of surrounding tissues. In addition, an abnormal lump in the thyroid gland is the most common warning sign, which may be accompanied by a painless but gradually enlarged lump. If difficulty swallowing or breathing occurs at the same time, it is a further sign of the development of the disease. If you find a sore throat with a lump in the neck, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis through neck ultrasound, thyroid function tests or fine needle aspiration biopsy.

2) Other possible causes of sore throat

A sore throat is not necessarily an early sign of thyroid cancer. Other common causes include:

-Acute pharyngitis or tonsillitis: Acute inflammation can cause significant soreness in the throat and may be accompanied by fever and cough. Discomfort can be relieved by taking antibiotics (such as amoxicillin), analgesics (such as ibuprofen), and throat sprays.

- Acid reflux: Gastric acid irritates the throat, causing burning and pain. This often occurs when eating irregularly or sleeping in a bad posture. It can be improved by taking acid-suppressing drugs (such as omeprazole) and adjusting diet.

-Thyroiditis: Diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis may also be accompanied by pain in the throat or thyroid area. These diseases are often chronic and require thyroid function monitoring and treatment (such as supplementation with levothyroxine sodium).

3) How to deal with a sore throat and screen for diseases

If the sore throat persists for more than 2 weeks, especially if accompanied by difficulty swallowing or a lump in the neck, you should see a doctor immediately. Common screening methods include thyroid ultrasound, thyroid function tests (TSH, T3, T4 indicators) or puncture biopsy. If it is thyroid cancer, the treatment method can be selected according to the condition:

-Surgical resection: Partial or total resection, such as laparoscopic thyroidectomy, is currently commonly used and is suitable for patients with early localized cancer.

-Radioactive iodine therapy: used to remove residual thyroid tissue and cancer cells after surgery, and is particularly effective for papillary carcinoma.

-Targeted therapy: Targeted drugs such as lenvatinib and sorafenib have good therapeutic effects on patients with advanced or metastatic thyroid cancer.

Sore throat can be one of the early symptoms of thyroid cancer. Especially when there are other accompanying symptoms, you need to be highly vigilant. Timely medical examination is the key to ensuring health. If diagnosed with thyroid cancer, most patients have a good prognosis after early treatment, so early screening and active treatment are important means to improve prognosis.