Causes of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
It is currently believed that some cancers may start off as anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) from the beginning, while others may develop into ATC from previously well-differentiated thyroid cancers. While there are no known risk factors specific to ATC, it is thought that ATC may have the same risk factors as well-differentiated thyroid cancer. A few of the known risk factors for developing thyroid cancer include:
Radiation
Radiation exposure – from previous medical treatments or from environmental disasters like power plant accidents or nuclear explosions – is a known risk factor for developing thyroid cancer. Head and neck radiation treatments during childhood have been associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer; this risk is higher for larger doses and those who were of a younger age at the time of radiation treatment.
Family History
People with at least two first-degree relatives diagnosed with thyroid cancer are at an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer themselves. This risk factor applies to people regardless of whether or not they have a known genetic syndrome associated with thyroid cancer.
Low-Iodine Diet
Most people in the United States obtain enough iodine in their diet due to iodized table salt and other food products that contain iodine. However, low-iodine diets are common in other parts of the world. Diets low in iodine may increase the risk of follicular and papillary thyroid cancer, especially if a person has also experienced some radiation exposure.
Signs & Symptoms
The most common presenting symptom of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rapidly growing mass in the thyroid gland. Other possible signs and symptoms which are more common in this type of thyroid cancer include:
- A lump or bump somewhere else in the neck.
If a patient finds a lump or bump in their neck, it is a good idea to get it checked out by a doctor. However, the mere presence of a lump is not diagnostic of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Lumps that grow rapidly raise suspicion that they may be cancerous, and should be biopsied. - Pain.
Anaplastic thyroid nodules have been found to cause tenderness and pain more often than do other types of thyroid nodules. However, it is rare for any type of thyroid cancer to cause neck pain. - Constitutional symptoms.
Symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and fever of unknown origin could suggest the presence of ATC. - Change in voice.
ATC can invade the voice box (larynx) or the nerves that control the vocal cords, causing a change in voice. - Difficulty with swallowing (dysphagia).
ATC can invade or compress (squeeze) the muscular wall of the esophagus, causing difficulty with swallowing. - Difficulty breathing.
Invasion of the trachea or larynx by the tumor can cause obstruction and difficulty breathing. - Cough.
This is also a common symptom of ATC, which can be related to either nerve or airway invasion by the tumor. A bloody cough (hemoptysis) can occur in cases of significant airway invasion.
It is important to note that a patient could have one or more of these symptoms and not have anaplastic thyroid cancer. There are several non-cancerous causes of the same symptoms. That is why it is important for patients to seek the advice of medical specialists.
