How to self-examine thyroid cancer

How should thyroid cancer patients self-check? Whether the disease can be discovered and treated in time depends on whether the patient has the ability to self-discover and check. If the patient can discover the disease in time, timely inspection and treatment can be carried out. So how should thyroid cancer patients self-check? What is the method?

Five ways to self-check thyroid cancer

The thyroid gland is located on both sides of the thyroid cartilage at the upper end of the trachea, one on each side, oval in shape, and weighs about 20-40 grams. The hormone secreted by the thyroid gland is thyroxine. There are currently two known types: one is thyroxine, also known as tetraiodothyronine (T4); the other is triiodothyronine (T3). In the gland or blood, T4 accounts for the vast majority, but the biological activity of T3 is about 5 times stronger than that of T4. They are both iodides of tyrosine, so the activity of the thyroid gland is closely related to iodine metabolism.

A normal thyroid gland is thin and soft, and cannot be seen or touched. Only when it is swollen can you feel a lump at the collar. If the lump is painless and isolated, it cannot be ruled out as thyroid cancer. Because thyroid cancer has no obvious symptoms in the early stages, it is not easy for patients to detect it early. Even if a lump appears, it is often mistaken for other diseases and treatment is delayed.

Shape of the lump: If the shape is like a butterfly, it is often seen in endemic goiter, thyroiditis and some hyperthyroidism; if a round lump appears in a certain part of the thyroid gland, it is often seen in thyroid cysts and thyroid cancer.

Size of the mass: If the mass is diffuse or multiple nodules, it is usually endemic goiter. However, if the diameter of the cyst exceeds 2 cm, thyroid cancer should be suspected.

Smoothness and hardness of the lump: Use your thumb and index finger to carefully touch the surface of the lump. If the surface is smooth, it is mostly endemic goiter; if the surface is not smooth, it may be thyroiditis. If a single nodule is enlarged and the surface is not smooth and feels solid, cancer should be suspected.

Growth rate of the tumor: Endemic goiter grows slowly and the course of the disease can last for several years; the course of benign tumors and cysts may be several months to several years; while the tumor of thyroid cancer grows rapidly, and swelling becomes obvious within a dozen days.

Whether lymph nodes are palpable: If hard lymph nodes are palpated around the thyroid gland, thyroid cancer with local lymph node metastasis should be highly suspected.

In addition, preventing thyroid cancer is not just about supplementing iodine. Because excessive iodine intake can also lead to thyroid cancer. In fact, the pathogenic factors of thyroid cancer are not clear, and may be related to soil, genetic factors, radiation exposure, etc. Therefore, in life, you should avoid head and neck X-ray exposure; avoid using estrogen; avoid eating fatty, spicy and other foods.

The above detailed introduction to thyroid cancer is hopefully useful to you who suffer from thyroid cancer. In addition, if you suffer from thyroid cancer, you must receive symptomatic treatment for thyroid cancer according to the condition of the disease. At the same time, during the treatment of thyroid cancer, you must take more preventive measures for thyroid cancer. Only in this way can you fundamentally treat thyroid cancer.