Thyroid cancer

1. Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC): Overview

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer making up to 70-80% of all thyroid cancer cases. Papillary thyroid cancer can occur at any age, and its incidence has been increasing over the last few decades. There are about 20,000 new cases of papillary thyroid cancer in the United States each year. It is now ranked as the 8th most common cancer in women in the United States, and the most common cancer in women under the age of 25 years. Being diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer can be very scary at first, however papillary thyroid cancers are most often slow growing tumors, and most can be removed surgically. Although slow-growing, papillary thyroid cancer can sometimes spread to the lymph nodes in the neck. Unlike some other tumors, positive lymph nodes do not usually worsen the generally excellent prognosis for. The involved lymph nodes can be surgically removed along with the thyroid. Most people diagnosed with PTC will not die from it.