During the early stages of the disease, cancer of the thyroid, an endocrine gland located at the base of the neck, generally causes few symptoms. However, some signs can still alert you.
The presence of a nodule
Thyroid cancer, whose role is to release hormones necessary for the proper functioning of the body (growth, sleep, metabolism, etc.), is most often manifested by the presence of a painless nodule. This is usually discovered following a self-examination of the neck or during imaging examinations.
A hoarse voice
Also pay attention to the timbre of your voice. Thyroid cancer, which affects more women around the age of menopause (between 45 and 55 years old on average) and which can be treated in 90% of cases, can cause a mobility disorder of the vocal cords, and the voice may thus become hoarse.
Swallowing disorders
This cancer, which remains relatively rare – in France, around 4,000 new cases are diagnosed each year – can also cause swallowing disorders and difficulty breathing. In case of suspicion, the diagnosis must be confirmed by a cervical and thyroid ultrasound, as well as a blood test.