Most PTCs are small and respond effectively to treatment, even if the cancer cells spread to lymph nodes or soft tissues within the neck.
A person’s doctor will need to establish the stage of PTC at the time of diagnosis. The lower the stage, the less the cancer has spread. In stage 1, PTC has not spread to other parts of the body. Determining the stage will help plan the most effective treatment. The staging process is different for people aged over 55 years.
For those aged 55 or under, doctors classify even metastatic PTC as stage 2 because the survival rate is so high.