Symptoms & Signs
* Cough
* Coughing up blood
* Difficulty swallowing
* Hoarseness or changing voice
* Loud breathing
* Lower neck mass, often noted to be enlarging
Diagnosis & Tests
A physical examination may show a neck mass.
* A CT scan or MRI may show a tumor growing from the thyroid gland.
* A thyroid biopsy shows anaplastic carcinoma.
* An examination of the airway with a fiberoptic scope (laryngoscopy) may show a paralyzed vocal cord.
* An isotope study of the thyroid (thyroid scan) shows this mass to be “cold,” meaning it does not absorb the isotope.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer: Overview, Causes
Anaplastic thyroid cancer: Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
Anaplastic thyroid cancer: Treatment
Review Date : 4/29/2009
Reviewed By : Deborah Wexler, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Endocrinologist, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Reviewed By : Deborah Wexler, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Endocrinologist, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only — they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2010 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
