5th April 2024

Background

Thyroid cancers can be broadly divided into those arising from thyroid follicular epithelium (papillary, follicular and anaplastic) or calcitonin producing C cells (medullary cancer). Thyroid hormone levels are very rarely deranged with thyroid cancers and hence are not associated with symptoms of hypo or hyperthyroidism. Instead, they secrete thyroglobulin which acts as a tumour marker post treatment. Certain cancers metastasise to the thyroid gland. These include renal, colon, breast, and melanoma.