Shreen Sawhney
Mrs. Leason
English Period 9-11
April 4, 2014
Thyroid cancer is one of the main conflicts in John Green’s novel, The Fault in Our Stars. Hazel Grace, the protagonist, has papillary thyroid cancer that has metastasized to the lungs. Her disease precludes her from carrying a healthy relationship with her love interest, Augustus Waters, and the reader sees how difficult it is to live a normal life with such a life-threatening disease as cancer. There are many different causes as to why people contract thyroid cancer even though it only accounts for 1% of all cancer in the United States (Sarge 1). Furthermore, there are four subtypes of thyroid cancer with different intensities: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Each type of thyroid cancer comes with a different type of treatment care such as chemotherapy, thyroidectomies, and hormone therapy (Sarge 2).
Thyroid cancer is one of the more uncommon types of cancers in the United States. This type of cancer is three times more likely to affect women rather than men (Sarge 1). Even though, it is a rare type of cancer to contract, women are at a higher risk to contract or have already contracted thyroid cancer. In the novel, Hazel Grace, the main character, is a teenage female who has papillary cancer that has metastasized to the lungs. Thyroid cancer is most commonly found in people over the age of 30 (Petit 1). Only a small portion of cancers are diagnosed a year. According to recent survey, about 11,000 cases of thyroid cancer are diagnosed a year, which is not a great deal when compared to other cancers (Thyroid Cancer 1). In addition to this cancer being more prevalent in women, there are certain ethnic groups that have a greater chance of having this...
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...r to tackle. This type of cancer has the ability to spread quickly and the farther that it hits, the harder it can be overcome if at all.” This form of thyroid cancer often occurs in the inherited genetic disorder multiple endocrine neoplasia” (Thyroid Cancer 2). People who have inherited multiple endocrine neoplasia will most likely have medullary thyroid cancer, but it is rarely contracted without this disorder. Next, anaplastic thyroid cancer is the most fatal of all four subtypes. This types of cancer grows quickly and metastasizes to other parts of the body rapidly. “Anaplastic thyroid cancer is more likely to develop in men over the age of 70” (Thyroid Cancer).
Thyroid cancer has a multitude of symptoms that one can use to idenfity it. For example, a lump on your neck, pain in the throat or neck, difficulty swallowing, and swollen lymph nodes are all examples
I think the chapter that helps to support her main point the most is chapter four titled “Space.” In this chapter, she discussed a great deal about the geographic distribution of cancer as well as the environment of the people who are more likely to get cancer. This includes: job type, living location, and living surroundings. To expand on each, she states that workers with
For cancer teens, that adage is true; they are likely to die before they become adults” (Corliss,2014). In young adult life, the teenagers think that adults cannot help them with their problems, that what they are going through is so unique to them and it has never happened to anyone else before. Given that Augustus does die before he becomes an adult shows that for some young adult's life can be so uncontrollable and not end up in a positive manner. They may not become the adults they wish to be or they may be forced to give up on being youthful. That even the brightest stars die out, but that you can still try to enjoy whatever time you have as a young adult and stop trying to control every aspect of your life. Corliss goes on to say that “ It allows Hazel and Augustus to pack the luster of a lifetime -- first love, trip to Europe, meeting a famous author, last love -- into what may be their only summer” (Corliss 2014). Teens experience a lot of things for the first time during their teen years, The Fault in our stars just gives us a glimpse. The cancer in this book may seem drastic because there were so many other things he could have written about that shows just how out of control teens feel. It just shows that people react to life experiences differently, in the
Head and neck cancer includes a range of cancers that originate in the head and neck. According to Parkin et al it is the fifth most common cancer worldwide [Parkin, 2005 #5], but it is uncommon in young women and very rare in pregnancy
Thyroid cancer is an abnormal and malignant cell growth in the thyroid gland (see figure 1). The wellbeing of a person’s thyroid gland is extremely important, as this organ secretes hormones and other chemicals that help a person maintain homeostasis, more specifically the weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and internal body temperature (Bethesda, National Cancer Institute). According to the Mayo Clinic, although it is not yet clear to researchers what exactly causes thyroid cancer, what medical scientists do know is why it occurs. One type of thyroid cancer that can be genetic is medullary thyroid cancer. This type of cancer is genetic because it is linked with a variety of risk factors that could lead up to cancer, such as gender, age, radiation exposure, hereditary conditions, and family history (“What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer?”). A major specific cause of thyroid diseases and cancers is insufficient iodine intake. Thyroid cancer is less common in the United States, than places that do not include as much iodine in the diet because in the United States, iodine is often added to many foods and consumption products. An environmental factor that is associated with thyroid cancer is exposure to radiation. One major example of this is the radiation from the Chernobyl incident; many people were affected by the radiation and many people, especially children, developed thyroid cancer (“What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer?”).
Hypothyroidism is a chronic disease that is part of the endocrine system. Hypothyroidism is due low or lack of tri-iodothryonine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) thyroid hormones being produced by the thyroid gland. The lack of thyroid hormones could be due to iodine or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) deficiency or underactive thyroid gland (Sherwood, 2012). Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 are involved in almost every part of the body. It is ten times more prevalent in female than male, which affects about 4.6% of U.S population (Lellis-Santos et al, 2011). In the most cases, the symptoms are cold intolerance, fatigue, bradycardia and weight gain. Depending on the cause on hypothyroidism, a goiter may develop, which is the enlargement of the thyroid gland. In most cases taking thyroid hormone supplement is an effective treatment.
Thyroid cancer starts in the thyroid gland, which is located under you Adam’s apple at the base of your neck. The described appearance of cancer in the thyroid is nodules, small or large bumps where the thyroid is, that you can feel. According to Cancer.org, about 1 in 20 nodules are cancerous in humans.
Papillary Carcinoma a lot of times grows very slowly. Typically mature in only one of the lobes of the thyroid gland, in patients under the age of forty-five. Cancer often spreads to the lymph nodes in the neck, still resulting in treatment which is usually successful and is rarely fatal. Papillary carcinoma is most likely to affect women that are in their childbearing stages in life. According to MedicineNet.com, “About eight of ten thyro...
There are four main types of thyroid cancers: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. These tumors are identified by the type of cells seen under the microscope. Papillary thyroid tumors occur most often. This type of thyroid cancer develops on one or b...
For this project, I decided to read “The Fault in Our Stars,” a novel written by John Green. This book is about 16 year old Hazel Grace, who is diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She attends weekly Cancer Support Group, where she meets Augustus Waters, a “very intelligent and hot” boy who is currently in remission. They both take a liking for each other, their relationship growing and developing throughout the book as they fight cancer together. Along the way, Hazel learns many important lessons about life.
The thyroid gland is found in the front of the neck and produces two main hormones. The hormones are called thuroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3). Together these hormones regulate the body’s metabolism by increasing energy use in cells, regulate growth and development, help to maintain body temperature and aid in oxygen consumption. These two hormones are regulated by hormones produced by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The hypothalamus senses changes in body’s metabolic rate and releases a hormone known as thyropin-releasing hormone (TRH). This hormone then flows through connecting vessels to the pituitary gland which signals it to release another hormone. This hormone is known as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then makes its way to the bloodstream until it reaches the thyroid where it is then signaled to activate T3 and T4 production [1]. This mechanism is controlled by a negative feedback loop meaning that when there is a sufficient amount of thyroid hormones in the blood stream, this will signal back to stop production of thyroid stimulating hormones. Complications occur when the thyroid hormones keep increasing even though there is already a sufficient amount of T3 and T4 in the blood stream. This process of over expression of thryroid hormones is known as hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a general term that includes any disease that has a consequence of an overabundance of thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is a general term but there are many variant diseases that are in the hyperthyroidism category. These diseases include diffuse toxic goiter, Basedow’s disease, thyrotoxicosis, Parry’s and Graves’ disease.
“Women are particularly at risk for a thyroid issue,”Hershman said. “One in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder during the course of their lives- that’s five to eight times the rate in men.”
This is because the tissue swells around the eyes and suffer from hyperthyroidism, muscular weakness, and rapid pulse and develop a reddish, painless skin rash. People who show signs and symptoms usually are either mild or severe. It all depends on the activity level of the thyroid. The disease affects the immune system itself and no other places. Symptoms usually develop over a 3-month period. The carrier usually is not aware that they have Graves’ disease. They usually find out when the symptoms are severe. The common signs are weight loss, tremors, feeling of being hot, and palpitations. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.org). The less common sign that can occur as well. They are over activity of the intestines, which leads to frequent bowl movements. Sometimes the breakdown of protein in muscles can lead to extreme weakness, which causes trouble breathing and limited endurance. (The Thyroid Book). The thought of having Graves’ disease can be disturbing. Mood swings and thinking impairment can be difficult to handle. Crying spells, depression and feeling down are common. The patient’s personality can be different and will change. This could make work difficult and hard to keep. Generally, a person with Graves’ disease will have a thyroid that is enlarged but will not have any pain from it. This is called a goiter and can be seen in the neck most of the time. Sometime you cannot see the goiter but by feeling and examining the neck, it can be detected.
The Fault in Our Stars is the story of a girl named Hazel Lancaster who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer which spread to her lungs. She was pulled out of school...
The novel starts off with a young 16-year-old girl named Hazel with thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. She serves as the witty narrator and makes death seem like nothing to be afraid of. Augustus Waters, a 17-year-old formally diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, is in remission but has lost a leg due to his cancer. From the beginning, John Green makes readers feel suspenseful as to when or if Hazel is going to die and break Augustus’s heart. But when Augustus goes back into remission, a twist is added to the story and Hazel becomes the healthier partner in their relationship. Hazel and Augustus’s love is put to the test as Augustus’s health deteriorates more and more each day. Readers are sitting on the edge of their seats, as they must wait to see what the fate of this courageous couple will be.
How familiar are you with cancer? Have you ever known someone who had cancer? For most people the answers are very little and no. Hazel Lancaster and Augustus Waters, the main characters in the novel The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, are teenagers who have been diagnosed with cancer. You might pity these young people at first because of their illness, but they’re both heroic characters, and just like Hazel says, “it’s just a touch of cancer”(217). Augustus and Hazel met each other through their cancer, and were inseparable until the very end. This #1 New York Times Bestseller, provokes a lot of emotion while dealing with a difficult and meaningful topic.