The thyroid is a vital endocrine organ found in the front of the neck that produces and stores hormones that regulate body temperature, heart rate, and metabolism. Thyroid cancer is identified as a malignant growth in the thyroid gland. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and women in Korea since 1999. Despite its nickname “good cancer” because most cases are differentiated thyroid cancer, it still requires prompt treatment to prevent further growth, invasion of nearby tissues, and potential metastasis. The high incidence of thyroid cancer in women is believed to be linked to female hormones, but further research is needed to confirm this connection. Pregnant women can also be diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and it is important to prioritize the health of both the mother and the fetus during treatment. Screening for thyroid cancer during pregnancy can be done safely, and if a suspicious nodule is found, additional tests may be required. Pregnancy itself does not increase the risk of thyroid cancer recurrence. While thyroid cancer usually does not spread to the fetus, close monitoring and management of maternal thyroid hormones are necessary for the baby’s wellbeing. Chemotherapy, if needed, should be avoided during pregnancy due to potential harm to the fetus. After radioactive iodine treatment or chemotherapy, it is advisable to wait at least six months before attempting to get pregnant again. Surgery for thyroid cancer is generally postponed until after childbirth, unless the tumor is large or there is extensive lymph node involvement. Patients who have completed treatment and are in remission can safely plan for pregnancy. It is crucial for thyroid cancer patients, especially those who are pregnant, to remain hopeful, actively seek treatment, and work closely with healthcare professionals to achieve the best outcomes for both themselves and their babies.
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The thyroid is an endocrine organ located at the front of the neck, and is an important organ that makes and stores thyroid hormones that regulate body temperature, heart rate and metabolic rate. Thyroid cancer is diagnosed as a malignant nodule in the thyroid gland Thyroid cancer is common enough to record the first cancer incidence rate in men and women and the first cancer incidence rate in women from 1999, when national statistics on incidence began cancer be. calculated in Korea until recently. It is a disease that
For thyroid health, also known as butterfly because it resembles a butterfly with its wings spread <우먼센스> And the first butterfly health project prepared by the ‘Butterfly Ribbon Campaign’, which dreams of a healthy butterfly for every woman, is thyroid cancer and pregnancy. Even if there are no symptoms, find a solution with carefully selected experts from the beginning and end of thyroid cancer, which requires an active approach to treatment, up to pregnancy.
What type of disease is thyroid cancer and how is it diagnosed?
A lump in the thyroid gland is called a thyroid nodule, and 5-10% of thyroid nodules are diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is usually asymptomatic, but as the tumor grows, it can cause difficulty swallowing or shortness of breath. Changes such as persistent coughing or frequent wheezing are also signs of thyroid cancer. If the cancer is fairly advanced, you may feel a lump in your throat, and your voice may change as the tumor attacks the vocal cord nerve If any of the above symptoms apply, go to the hospital.
Thyroid cancer is said to be a good cancer, but does it need to be treated if there are no symptoms?
95% of thyroid cancer is differentiated thyroid cancer, and most thyroid cancer, commonly known as good cancer, is in this case. However, even if it is differentiated thyroid cancer, if left untreated, the cancer can grow and invade nearby tissues, or cause lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis, which can lead to death in severe cases. In addition, if the disease progresses even with radioactive iodine treatment, the 5-year survival rate is only 10%, and refractory thyroid cancer such as undifferentiated or medullary cancer has a very poor treatment prognosis, so treatment cannot be conclude that all thyroid cancers are good cancers. Also, if treatment is started after symptoms appear, the treatment response may not be as good as expected. Therefore, if you are diagnosed with thyroid cancer, we recommend that you look closely at the characteristics of thyroid cancer and proceed with the treatment.
What is the reason for the high incidence of thyroid cancer in toxic women?
Thyroid cancer occurs three times more often in women than in men, and is estimated to be linked to female hormones because incidence peaks between the childbearing age of 30 and the pre-menopausal age of 50. Some studies show that late menarche and long menstrual cycles are associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. As a result, the relationship between female hormones and thyroid cancer has not yet been clarified, and research is ongoing.
Are there any patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer during pregnancy?
of course. As thyroid cancer is the most common cancer in women of reproductive age, it can also be detected during pregnancy. If thyroid cancer is detected during pregnancy, it is most important to lead to a correct diagnosis and treatment without adversely affecting the health of the mother and fetus, and to maintain the pregnancy.
Is it safe to have a thyroid cancer screening test during pregnancy? Or should I postpone the test?
If a thyroid nodule is found in a pregnant woman, a physical examination, serum TSH test, and cervical ultrasound are performed for a thorough medical history check. If the thyroid nodule is irregular in shape or continues to grow, if findings suggestive of cancer are found, an additional fine needle aspiration (FNA) is required.
Can pregnant women who have had thyroid cancer be more likely to have thyroid cancer again?
Based on the results of several studies, pregnancy itself did not affect the prognosis or recurrence of thyroid cancer. There were concerns about the rapid development of thyroid cancer during pregnancy. As a result of comparing a group of women diagnosed with differentiated thyroid cancer during pregnancy or within a year after delivery with a group of women diagnosed with differentiated thyroid cancer regardless of pregnancy, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of cancer recurrence or death, suggesting that pregnancy and thyroid cancer recurrence are different. It is right to think so.
Can thyroid cancer spread to or affect the fetus?
Thyroid cancer does not usually spread to the placenta or foetus. However, maternal thyroid hormones play an important role in fetal development. In addition, since the hormonal status of pregnant women can have a major impact on the thyroid function of newborns, regular follow-up examinations and adjustment of the dose of thyroid hormones are necessary. Several studies have confirmed that even if the mother has hypothyroidism, fetal growth and the newborn’s thyroid status are normal if thyroid hormone supplementation is successful.
Can pregnant women have chemotherapy? Can I delay treatment if there are no symptoms?
Chemotherapy is generally considered for patients with advanced thyroid cancer who cannot receive radioactive iodine therapy. However, if a patient is pregnant, the administration of anticancer drugs can have a significant effect on the fetus, so women of childbearing age are advised to use contraception before chemotherapy.
When can I get pregnant after radioiodine therapy or chemotherapy?
There is no research showing that radioactive iodine treatment reduces your chances of getting pregnant. However, once pregnant, exposure to radioactive iodine can have adverse effects on the foetus, so it is recommended to delay pregnancy for at least six months, taking into account the period when thyroid function is stabilized again after the end the radioactive iodine treatment.
If I am diagnosed with thyroid cancer during pregnancy, when is the safest time for treatment?
Thyroid cancer surgery during pregnancy can cause complications for both mother and foetus, so most should be delayed until after birth. However, if the tumor is large or the range of lymph node metastases is extensive, surgery is recommended during pregnancy. Most surgeries during pregnancy are performed between 15 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, and surgery at this time is known not to increase complications for the pregnant woman and the fetus. Radioactive iodine therapy is given after thyroid cancer surgery to reduce recurrence and distant metastases. A pregnancy test is essential for female patients requiring radioactive iodine treatment before deciding on treatment because radioactive iodine treatment is contraindicated during pregnancy. In addition, mothers who need radioactive iodine treatment must stop breastfeeding for 3 months before the treatment, and after treatment, they cannot breastfeed for a while, so there will only be milk the majority of them eventually.
What do thyroid cancer patients who are pregnant or considering pregnancy need to know?
If your thyroid cancer has been cured or you have completed all your treatment with no residual cancer, you can try to conceive at any time. In that condition, even if you become pregnant, there will be no special effect on the health of the mother and the fetus. So it is right for you to go through a consultation with a specialist and put aside your fears and plan your pregnancy with joy.
Finally, what would you like to say to thyroid cancer patients?
Even if you were diagnosed with thyroid cancer during pregnancy, you should not lose hope for a cure. If you become discouraged and stop treatment or if you do not take an active part in the examination, the disease will worsen and adversely affect the health of the fetus. Even if you are diagnosed with thyroid cancer, don’t forget that you can catch both rabbits: a healthy birth and a complete recovery from cancer through proper management and safe treatment.
National Cancer Center (thyroid cancer center) Professor Eunkyung Lee, Associate Professor Department of Endocrinology, Department of Cancer Bioscience, International Graduate University of Cancer, National Cancer Center Senior Investigator, Department of Targeted Therapy, National Cancer Center Clinical Professor, Department of Endocrinology, National Cancer Centre
National Cancer Center (Thyroid Cancer Center) Department of Endocrinology Professor Eunkyung Lee
Assistant Associate Professor, Department of Cancer Bioscience, International Cancer Graduate University, National Cancer Centre
·Senior Investigator National Cancer Center Targeted Therapy Research Division
·Clinical Professor of Endocrinology and Medicine, National Cancer Centre
Important thyroid cancer and pregnancy checkpoints!
✔ The thyroid plays an important role in maintaining body temperature as an organ that produces and stores thyroid hormones and exports them into the blood when needed, and plays an important role in brain development and growth bones of fetuses and newborns.
✔ lump in the thyroid A thyroid nodule is divided into a benign and malignant nodule, and among these, the malignant nodule is called thyroid cancer.
✔ If thyroid cancer is not treated, it can grow and invade nearby tissues, or cause lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis, which can lead to death in severe cases.
✔ If you start treatment after symptoms appear, the response to treatment may not be as good as expected, and if you do not respond to radioactive iodine treatment, you may receive chemotherapy, so after diagnosis, you will need an active response by consulting an expert.
✔ Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer among women aged 15 to 34, and is very likely to occur in women of childbearing age and is often found during pregnancy.
✔ In the case of pregnancy, increase in tumor size, childbirth, and recurrence of thyroid cancer, no statistically significant effects were found, and pregnancy itself does not seem to affect the prognosis of the disease.
✔ Surgery on thyroid cancer detected during pregnancy should be postponed after giving birth when it can cause complications for the pregnant woman and the foetus, but if the tumor is large or the lymph nodes are extensive, surgery is recommended during pregnancy.
✔ Radioactive iodine therapy cannot be given if pregnant or breastfeeding, and breastfeeding mothers should stop breastfeeding for at least 3 months before radioiodine therapy.
✔ It is recommended to delay pregnancy for at least 6 months because changes in thyroid function that occurred during radioactive iodine treatment can affect the pregnant woman and her fetus.
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