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Anaplastic carcinoma is a rare and deadly form of thyroid cancer that can cause breathing difficulties. It spreads quickly and is most common in women over 60 with iodine deficiencies or a history of thyroid disorders. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for survival, with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy often necessary. Survival rates can be extended by up to a year with early treatment.
Anaplastic carcinoma is a rare but very lethal form of thyroid cancer that can cause severe breathing difficulties. Symptoms tend to appear suddenly, and the cancer can spread very quickly to lymph nodes and other tissues in the body. Patients have the best chance of survival when their symptoms are recognized, diagnosed and treated right away. Surgery may be effective if the cancer is isolated to the thyroid gland, but many patients need to receive chemotherapy or radiation to fight a malignancy that is spreading.
Doctors aren’t sure what causes anaplastic carcinoma, but several risk factors have been identified. Cancer is most commonly seen in patients over the age of sixty, and females are approximately three times more likely to develop anaplastic carcinoma than males. People who have iodine deficiencies due to hormonal imbalances or a lack of iodine-rich foods in their diet are at increased risk for thyroid problems. Additionally, patients who have been diagnosed and treated for other, more common types of thyroid disorders, such as goiter and follicular cancer, are more likely to develop anaplastic carcinoma.
The first signs of a developing tumor are usually shortness of breath, fatigue and hoarseness. Within months, you may see and feel a lump in the front of your throat. As a tumor continues to grow, it can make swallowing very difficult and cause a chronic, painful, bloody cough. Lymph nodes in the neck may begin to swell and become tender once the cancer begins to spread.
An oncologist can diagnose anaplastic cancer by feeling the mass in the neck, asking about symptoms, and doing computed tomography scans of the neck and chest. When a tumor is discovered, a tissue sample is collected by fine needle aspiration. A surgeon inserts a hollow needle into the center of the mass and draws small pieces of tissue and fluid into a syringe. Treatment decisions are made immediately after biopsy results reveal anaplastic cancer.
If the cancer is isolated to the thyroid, a surgeon may be able to remove the gland and preserve the surrounding tissue. In most cases, however, the cancer has already spread before surgery can take place. A combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy is needed to fight cancer in the lymph nodes and windpipe. If the cancer reaches the lungs, bones or brain, it is almost always fatal despite treatment efforts. In general, patients who are diagnosed early and undergo regular treatments can exceed the average survival rate by six months to a year.
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