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Medullary carcinoma of thyroid    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Thyroid - medullary carcinoma; Cancer - thyroid (medullary carcinoma)

Treatment

Surgical removal of the thyroid gland, as well as surrounding lymph nodes, is the initial treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation are not very effective. Surgical risks involve inadvertent removal of parathyroid glands or resection of nerve tissue of the larynx, which leads to serious complications.

Prognosis

The expectation for this type of thyroid cancer varies, depending on the ability of surgery to remove all cancerous tissue. The 10-year survival rate (amount of people who live for at least 10 years after diagnosis) is 70 to 80%.

Complications

• Medullary carcinoma invading nearby lymph nodes
• Inadvertent removal of parathyroid glands during surgery
• Metastasis of cancer to blood vessels or other sites

Call Your Health Care Provider If:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms of this disorder develop.

Ency. home > Disease > M > Medullary carcinoma of thyroid

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