Woman with thyroid cancer left undiagnosed for months due to rare symptoms
A woman was left with undiagnosed thyroid cancer for months because of her very rare symptoms, it has emerged.
The 54-year-old turned up at a clinic after she started coughing up blood, having had a persistent cough for the previous six months.
Initial assessments showed nothing out of the ordinary - but a hi-tech scan revealed an unusual growth in her throat.
She was then referred to a hospital, where doctors confirmed she had thyroid cancer. The unusual illness, which was recorded in Malaysia, has been detailed in the latest American Journal of Case Reports, where doctors share noteworthy medical incidents in their patients.
The woman in Malaysia had been coughing blood, which is usually associated with other types of cancerThe woman was not identified in the study. Surprised doctors wrote that coughing up blood (hemoptysis) is an "uncommon presentation" of the cancer - instead being more common in patients with lung cancer, bronchitis or pneumonia. According to the researchers, "no remarkable findings" turned up when she originally came into a primary care medicine clinic with her symptoms - but a CT scan of her thorax soon afterwards uncovered a thyroid lesion.
Warning as popular food and drink ‘increase risk of cancer death by up to 30%’
Subsequent work in hospital, including an ultrasound examination, revealed multiple nodules on her thyroid - and a tissue sample soon afterwards that confirmed papillary thyroid cancer. She then had a total surgical surgical removal thyroid gland, followed by cycles of radioactive iodine therapy and injections to fight the cancer. Her symptoms did not return after the surgery.
It is thought the coughing of blood was caused by her thyroid pushing into her windpipe - and doctors concluded that it should be considered as an atypical symptom of the cancer. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck, and is responsible for unleashing hormones that regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, weight and body temperature. According to Cancer Research UK data, thyroid cancer is the 20th most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 1% of all new cancer cases.
Rates are highest in people aged 65 to 69, and most prevalent in women. The early stages of thyroid cancer often do not cause any symptoms at all, with the first warning sign often being a pain and swelling in your neck. According to NHS advice, you should make an appointment with a GP if you have a lump in your neck that's getting bigger, or a hoarse voice, sore throat or cough for more than 3 weeks. Symptoms also include a pain in the front of your neck, or a feeling like something is pressing against your neck.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
