THANC GuideAlmost all cancers of the thyroid are differentiated tumors (papillary, follicular or Hurthle cell carcinoma). Other less common thyroid cancers, like medullary or anaplastic, behave aggressively and have much poorer prognoses.
Papillary thyroid cancer and follicular thyroid cancer are considered well-differentiated thyroid cancers because the cancer cells behave like normal thyroid tissue, in that they take up iodine and produce thyroid hormones. Learn more.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare and aggressive form of thyroid cancer. The cells in anaplastic thyroid cancer divide very rapidly, leading to an extremely aggressive growth rate. Early detection of this disease and its symptoms is crucial to prompt treatment. Learn more.
Medullary Thyroid Cancer is the third most common form of thyroid cancer. It arises from special cells in the thyroid gland that secrete a hormone called calcitonin, which helps with calcium regulation. About 20% of the time, this cancer is inherited but the remainder of the time it happens sporadically, with no family predisposition. Learn more.
