Does thyroid cancer mean it is in the early stage if it doesn't hurt?

If thyroid cancer does not cause pain, it may be in the early stage or in the middle or late stage. Patients with early thyroid cancer usually have no obvious symptoms, and many patients are found during physical examinations. Generally, it does not cause pain. The tumors of patients with early thyroid cancer are relatively small in size and number, so generally there will be no severe compression symptoms and no pain.

1. Early stage: Thyroid cancer generally has no obvious symptoms in the early stage, and may only manifest as a painless mass in the neck. Most patients delay diagnosis and treatment due to neglect, resulting in the gradual increase of the tumor volume, which compresses the trachea, esophagus and other adjacent organs, causing symptoms such as dyspnea, dysphagia, and hoarseness. This situation is relatively common;

2. Middle and late stages: Patients with middle and late stages of thyroid cancer may experience obvious compression symptoms due to the increase in tumor size, such as compression of the trachea and esophagus, which may cause coughing, expectoration, dysphagia, and even dyspnea. Compression of the esophagus may cause dysphagia, and if the recurrent laryngeal nerve is invaded, hoarseness may occur. If the tumor invades the lymph nodes, compression of the swollen lymph nodes may cause pain in the swollen lymph node area.

Therefore, if thyroid cancer is painless, it may be in the early stage or in the middle or late stage. If a thyroid cancer patient has discomfort, it is recommended to go to the hospital in time for treatment. After a clear diagnosis through examination, the corresponding treatment should be carried out under the guidance of the doctor. Patients with early thyroid cancer can be treated with surgical resection, such as total thyroidectomy, thyroid lobectomy, etc. In addition to surgical resection, patients with middle and late stage thyroid cancer also need to cooperate with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, etc.