Sometimes cancer can develop in this gland. Over 75 percent of thyroid cancers will be in women. Blacks are almost twice as likely to have this cancer as whites. Most cases will occur in people between the ages of 25 and 65. Most patients don't have any warning signs.
Doctors find the majority of cases during a routine physical examination.
They will notice a painless lump in the thyroid. If the cancer has already spread, symptoms may include neck pain, hoarseness, or difficulty swallowing. Often, however, the same symptoms occur for a thyroid tumor that is benign, or non-cancerous. A fine needle biopsy will usually tell whether the tumor is benign or cancerous. If you had radiation of your head and neck as a child, you're at risk for thyroid cancer.