Anaplastic thyroid cancer

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Thyroid cancer - CT scan

Thyroid gland

Anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid

• Cough
• Coughing up blood
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hoarseness or changing voice
• Loud breathing
• Lower neck mass, often noted to be rapidly enlarging

A physical examination almost always show a neck mass.

• A CT scan or MRI of the neck may show a tumor growing from the thyroid gland.
• A thyroid biopsy shows anaplastic cancer.
• An examination of the airway with a fiberoptic scope (laryngoscopy) may show a paralyzed vocal cord.
• A thyroid scan shows this mass to be "cold," meaning it does not absorb a radioactive isotope.

Thyroid function blood tests are usually normal.

Review Date: 03/02/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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