• Types of thyroid cancer are based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope.
• Thyroid cancer cells can spread to blood vessels (link all the tissues of the body) then form new tumors and destroy the organs that are affected by these cancer cells.
• The following are four main types of thyroid cancer:

1. 1. Papillary Tumor
   2. Follicular Tumor
   3. Medullary Tumor
   4. Anaplastic Tumor

 
 
Papillary Tumor 

• These tumors develop in cells that produce thyroid hormones containing iodine.
• This cancer is usually slow growing. However, it can spread to lymph nodes in the neck or nearby.
• These tumors most of the time can be treated by doctors successfully even when the cells have spread to the nearby lymph nodes. (Depends on its subtypes and completeness of surgery and stage of disease at presentation)

 
Follicular Tumor 

• These tumors also develop in cells that produce iodine containing hormones, and have a thin layer of tissue around them, called a capsule.
• Many follicular tumors are curable but can be difficult to control if the tumor invades blood vessels or grows through the capsule into the nearby structures of the neck. (Depends on its subtypes and completeness of surgery and stage of disease at presentation)

 
Medullary Tumor 

• These tumors affect thyroid cells that produce a hormone that does not contain iodine.
• These tumors grow slowly but are harder to control than papillary and follicular tumors. The cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

 
Anaplastic Tumor 

• These tumors are the fastest growing thyroid tumors.
• The cancer cells, which are extremely abnormal, spread rapidly to other parts of the body.

Updated:: 18/03/2019 []