HCM CityMs. Tam, 70 years old, had a regular health checkup and the doctor discovered early-stage thyroid cancer.
Ultrasound results at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City showed that Ms. Tam's thyroid gland had two tumors. The biopsy results showed that she had papillary thyroid cancer, in an early stage that had not metastasized.
On March 27, MSc.BSc.CKI Ha Thi Ngoc Bich, Department of Endocrinology - Diabetes, said the survival rate after 3 years of papillary thyroid cancer treatment is 10%. High likelihood of successful treatment, quick surgery time and post-operative recovery. If left untreated or delayed, the tumor grows larger and has a high chance of metastasizing to other places such as the lymph nodes in the neck, or even further to the lungs, bones, etc.
Ms. Tam had surgery to remove the entire thyroid gland and lymph nodes on one side. The patient has a negative pressure drain placed in the surgical wound area to drain fluid, avoid post-operative fluid accumulation, and help the wound heal quickly.
Nurses from the Endocrinology and Diabetes department take care of Ms. Tam's surgical wound. Image: Dinh Tien
After two days of surgery, Ms. Tam's health stabilized, she could talk, eat, and drink. She was discharged from the hospital and had a follow-up examination after a week. One month later, the patient was tested and had an ultrasound to assess the risk of cancer, from which the doctor considered whether or not to prescribe radioactive iodine I131 treatment and thyroid hormone supplementation.
Thyroid cancer is one of the 10 most common types of cancer in Vietnam. However, many people still do not proactively examine and screen for thyroid cancer regularly, according to Dr. Bich.
Thyroid cancer can be divided into 4 groups based on origin and cell characteristics including papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer.
Dr. Bich said the 10-year survival rate for patients with papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in all stages of the disease is 93% and 85%, respectively. The 10-year survival rate for medullary thyroid cancer is 75%. Undifferentiated thyroid cancer is rare but dangerous, with a one-year survival rate of only 20%.
The cause of the disease is currently unknown. Some factors can increase the risk such as exposure to radiation (nuclear radiation, radiotherapy, etc.), family history of thyroid cancer, genetic syndromes (polyps, multiple tumors). endocrinology, Carney, Cowden syndrome), goiter, autoimmune thyroiditis...
Dr. Bich advises everyone, even without risk factors, to have regular thyroid cancer screening to prevent dangerous complications.
Dinh Tien
* Patient's name has been changed
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