INTRODUCTION
Thyroid cancer is a relatively rare tumor but it is the most common endocrine malignancy worldwide and has increasingly become a public health problem over the past two decades [1]. In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has increased at an alarming rate, especially in developed countries. Thyroid cancer is the tenth most common cancer in Canada [2]. Furthermore, the incidence rate of thyroid cancer is increasing more rapidly than any other cancer in Canada [3, 4]. Typically, most forms of thyroid cancer (TC) have been treated through surgery, conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, these therapies fail to treat the most invasive forms of this cancer. Recent discoveries of the genetic and molecular pathways involved in TC have uncovered possible new therapeutic targets.
The thyroid is an endocrine gland located at the front of the neck, above the central trachea and below the larynx. Within the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulates the secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from the anterior pituitary [5]. TSH then acts on thyroid gland which releases the iodine dependent hormone thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyroxine (T3) to control physiological functions such as metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature [5].
Etiology
There are several risk factors for TC including patient history, family history, genetic factors, age, gender, and environmental factors such as ionizing radiation exposure and iodine deficiency [5, 6]. During the first 20 years of a person’s life, exposures to ionizing radiations can be particularly damaging to the thyroid gland. These radiations generate free water or oxygen radicals which directly...
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... the initial drug effects wane down over time as alternate pathways compensate. Overcoming these mechanisms of resistance to KI is the next step to prolong the effects of targeted therapies. Fortunately, understanding of epigenetic mechanisms such as histone modifications or RNAis has been greatly advanced in recent years and there is hope that they can be employed in treating thyroid cancers.
These advances have been accompanied by challenges in clinical trials. Besides the fact that clinical samples sizes are usually very small, experimental biomarkers and clinical end points have been controversial in studying thyroid cancers. Better understanding of different mechanisms helped researchers achieve a step forward in managing thyroid cancers. It remains positive to be seen whether new therapeutic combinations could increase long-term survival for thyroid cancers.
Hypothyroidism is a clinical syndrome resulting from a deficiency of thyroid hormones, which leads to a generalized slowing down of metabo...
Kostoglou-Athanassiou I, Ntalles K (2010). Hypothyroidism: New Aspects of an Old Disease. PMC, 14, 82-7.
Further research on this alternative model could lead to therapies that not only target the properties of the primary tumor but also those of the secondary tumor and save many from the burden of fighting cancer again.
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?”).
In healthy an individual, the thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones T3 and T4 through a series of steps. Iodide is carry into the thyroid follicular cell from the blood stream by symporters. The iodide is transported into the cell against it concentration gradient, using Na+ concentration gradient as an energy source. The iodide in the follicular cell is activated through oxidation by thyroperoxidase (TPO). The active iodide is passively transported into the colloid through an iodide channel on the luminal side of the follicular cell down its concentration gradient. Thyroglobulin (Tg) another precursor of thyroid hormone enters the colloid via exocytosis from the Golgi complex of the follicular cell. The Thyroglobulin (Tg) binds to iodide with the help of thyroperoxidase forming monoiodotyrosine (MIT). If another iodide is added to the tyrosine reside of Tg, di-iodotyrosine is formed (DIT...
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...
The thyroid organ, though small, impacts every cell in the body by providing metabolism regulation (endocrine web). This butterfly-shaped, endocrine organ located at the neck, secretes hormones to control the body’s metabolism - or the way the body uses energy that help the body with energy, manage heat, and help organs such as the heart and brain function properly (thyroid.org). When not functioning properly, thyroid dysfunctions occur disrupting the three points of control: the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland, and the thyroid gland. Common thyroid disorders include Hashimoto’s, Graves’ disease, thyroid disorders like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, and nodules or goiters (health line).
The thyroid gland makes hormones that control the way every cell in the body uses energy. It is located in your neck and is the factory that makes the thyroid hormone T3 (Porth, 2011). It’s job is to wait for orders from the administrators of the body, the brain, to tell the thyroid how much T3 to release for the energy the body needs
The thyroid gland is the gland that makes and stores hormones that help regulate the heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and metabolism. Thyroid hormones are essential for the function of every cell in the body. They help regulate growth and the rate of chemical reactions in the body. Thyroid hormones also help children grow and develop. The thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck, below the Adam's apple, wrapped around the trachea. It has the shape of a butterfly with two lobes attached to one another by a middle part called the isthmus. The thyroid uses iodine, a mineral found in some foods and in iodized salt, to make its hormones. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). The thyroid gland also makes the hormone calcitonin, which is involved in calcium metabolism and stimulating bone cells to add calcium to bone.
Many people probably are not familiar with thyroid disorders. They might not even be aware of any family history of thyroid disorders. There are several types of thyroid disorders which can affect men, women, and children. Thyroid disorders are commonly found in women. Everyone should know their family history and get their thyroid checked regularly.
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...
The mechanisms by which cancer occurs are incompletely understood. The cancer is thought to develop from cells with changed the typical mechanisms for manage of proliferation and growth. Recent proofs strengthen the notion of carcinogenesis as a genetically regulated multistage process (Mediana et al., 2008).
“Since 1990, over 6 million Americans have died of cancer, more than the combined casualties from the Civil war, WWII, and the Vietnam and Korean conflicts combined” (Faguet, p. 5). According to American Cancer Society projections, there were 1,529,560 new cases of cancer in 2010. Cancer is becoming more and more common around the world. New cancers are constantly being discovered. Researchers are finding new ways to detect cancer and treat it so that the fatality rate does not rise. However, there are some cancers that researchers have not yet discovered a cure for. It is very important for Cancer Research to continue so that one day these cancers will no longer be a treat.
Over the years, the fight against ovarian cancer has proven itself to be even more difficult due to the cancer being asymptomatic at its early stages. For this reason,...
There are multiple factors that contribute to her risk of thyroid cancer. One example is support. Her parents are very supportive to her and are very involved in her treatments and wanting