Will thyroid cancer recur? What diseases will thyroid cancer cause?

Thyroid cancer can recur, especially after surgery. Recurrence can occur in the form of local tumor recurrence, lymph node recurrence, or lymph node metastasis.

1. Local tumor recurrence

Some patients may have recurrences due to incomplete removal of local tumor tissue as the tumor gradually grows. If other nearby organs are not discovered in time, symptoms such as hoarseness and difficulty breathing may occur, requiring a second resection. If the entire thyroid tumor is completely removed, the recurrence rate can be reduced.

2. Lymph node recurrence or lymph node metastasis

Some thyroid cancers have a certain ratio of recurrence rate and metastasis rate. Especially during the operation, no lymph node metastasis was found in the preoperative examination. However, 2 to 3 years after the operation, cervical lymph node metastasis and lymph node enlargement may occur again. Thyroid cancer relapses again, and lymph node metastasis occurs. The symptoms are more serious, and the cancer is already in the middle and late stages. The treatment is more difficult and the prognosis is poor.