What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?

A thyroid cancer can present as a firm area or swelling at the front or side of the neck. It may also cause a sense of pressure, difficulty swallowing, a persistent cough, or a voice that becomes hoarse. Enlarged neck glands can occur when disease involves nearby lymph nodes. Many of these symptoms also occur with infections, reflux, thyroid inflammation or benign thyroid nodules.

Symptoms do not show how serious a thyroid finding is. A clinician considers the duration and pattern of the change, examines the neck, and may arrange blood tests and ultrasound. An ultrasound can show the size and appearance of a thyroid nodule and whether the surrounding neck needs review.

Book an appointment for a new neck swelling, persistent hoarse voice, or swallowing difficulty. Note the first day you noticed it, whether it is changing, and whether you have had prior thyroid problems or radiation involving the neck. A clinician may recommend observation, imaging or a needle sample based on the examination and ultrasound.

If thyroid cancer is diagnosed, care may include thyroid removal surgery, radioactive iodine therapy, targeted therapy or planned surveillance. The choice depends on the cancer type, its location and whether it has spread.

Get urgent help if neck swelling is rapidly increasing or you develop trouble breathing or cannot swallow liquids. Arrange prompt medical review for persistent hoarseness, repeated choking, or a neck swelling that does not settle. Do not use symptom severity alone to decide whether a thyroid change needs assessment.

Could my symptoms come from the thyroid or another nearby structure? Do I need an ultrasound or thyroid blood tests? What would make a needle sample useful? If a nodule is found, how will you decide between monitoring and treatment?