Thyroid Cancer in Children
What is pediatric thyroid cancer?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that produces hormones that are important for growth and metabolism. Pediatric thyroid cancer (also called thyroid carcinoma) occurs when the cells in the thyroid gland become abnormal and grow out of control.
Thyroid cancer is an uncommon cancer in childhood: Fewer than one in 100,000 children develop thyroid cancer each year. Although it can occur at any age, childhood thyroid cancer is most common in the teenage years, and it is the second most common cancer among adolescents ages 15 to 19.
Thyroid cancer is often detected as a lump in the front of the neck found by the child, a parent, or by a physician during a routine examination. Some thyroid cancers are discovered by chance during medical imaging performed for another reason.
Although thyroid cancer can spread — usually to the lymph nodes in the neck, or less often to the lungs — most children with thyroid cancer respond very well to treatment. Thyroid cancer in children does not behave the same as it does in adult patients, and outcomes in children are generally better than in adults.
There are several types of thyroid cancer:
- Differentiated thyroid carcinomaincludes two different types, papillary thyroid carcinoma and follicular thyroid carcinoma. Both of these types of thyroid cancer develop from the cells of the thyroid gland that normally produce thyroid hormone. Papillary carcinoma is the more common type, accounting for about 90 percent of thyroid cancers in children. Follicular carcinoma is less common and accounts for about 10 percent of cases.
- Medullary thyroid carcinomais very rare and develops in thyroid cells that do not produce thyroid hormone (called C-cells). Medullary thyroid cancer most often occurs in adults. However, there are familial conditions in which children may develop medullary thyroid carcinoma early in childhood or even in infancy. These familial syndromes are calledmultiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2)or familial medullary thyroid cancer (FMTC).
- 型甲状腺癌is an extremely rare and aggressive type of thyroid cancer that occurs almost exclusively in adults.
How we care for thyroid cancer in children
The team of clinicians in the甲状腺中心在波士欧宝彩票平台顿儿童医院治疗甲状腺癌的儿童和青少年。甲状腺中心成立于2001年，是该国同类最古老的计划，也是美国唯一专门致力于甲状腺疾病儿童的中心之一。该多学科计划的专家在甲状腺方面具有专业知识ultrasound,fine needle aspiration, thyroid surgery, nuclear medicine imaging, and radioactive iodine therapy.
Surgical experience is critical to having the best outcomes from thyroid cancer surgery, so it’s important to take the time to choose a surgeon who specializes in thyroid cancer in children. The rate of surgical complications is higher in children with thyroid cancer than in adults, perhaps because few pediatric surgeons are well versed in its treatment. Fortunately, thyroid cancer grows slowly, which gives families the opportunity to find a skilled pediatric thyroid surgeon or to seek asecond opinion.
At Boston Children’s Thyroid Center, our pediatric thyroid surgeons specialize in the care of children and adolescents with thyroid disease, making us one of the most experienced centers of its kind in the country. This breadth and depth of knowledge result in exceptional outcomes and alow rate of surgical complications, which means that you can trust that your child is in the best hands.
