Thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is a rare type of cancer that affects the thyroid gland, a small gland at the base of the neck.

The most common symptom of cancer of the thyroid is a painless lump or swelling that develops in the neck.

Other symptoms only tend to occur after the condition has reached an advanced stage, and may include:

unexplained hoarseness that lasts for more than a few weeks a sore throat or difficulty swallowing that doesn’t get better  a lump elsewhere in your neck

If you have a lump in your thyroid gland, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have thyroid cancer. About 1 in 20 thyroid lumps are cancerous. 

Read more about the symptoms of thyroid cancer

Symptoms

In its early stages, thyroid cancer tends to cause no or very few symptoms.

The main symptom of thyroid cancer is a lump or swelling at the front of the neck just below your Adam’s apple, which is usually painless.

Women also have Adam’s apples, but they’re much smaller and less prominent than a man’s.

The lymph nodes in your neck can also be affected and become swollen. Lymph nodes are small glands that are part of the lymphatic system, which helps fight infection.

Other symptoms of thyroid cancer only tend to occur after the condition has reached an advanced stage, and may include:

unexplained hoarseness that doesn’t get better after a few weeks a sore throat or difficulty swallowing that doesn’t get better pain in your neck