Thyroid Nodules

Symptoms of a Thyroid Nodule

Thyroid cancer in children most often presents as a mass that is seen or felt in the neck. This mass can be the primary tumor in the thyroid or it may represent a lymph node metastasis.
Thyroid cancer is usually painless and without symptoms in its early stages.
Unless an obvious neck nodule or growth can be seen, most cases are detected by chance during a routine physical examination or during a doctor visit for an unrelated purpose.
Some symptoms that may appear include:
- Hoarseness that is inexplicable and persistent
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Difficulty swallowing
- Nodule (lump) or growth on the neck
- An abnormally large lymph node that fails to spontaneously shrink over a few months' time

More about Nodules and the Possibility of Cancer

Most thyroid nodules are benign and not cancer.
In children, 20% to 30% of thyroid nodules are proven to be cancer. In contrast, only 5-10% of nodules in adults are cancer.

Evaluation of a Thyroid Nodule in a Child or Adolescent

The steps may include:

Physical examination
Neck ultrasound
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, often under ultrasound guidance
Thyroid function lab tests
Chest X-ray
CT (computerized tomography) without iodine contrast
Thyroid scan with low-dose radioactive iodine or technetium

For More Information

For more information about causes of thyroid cancer, symptoms of a nodule, and evaluation of a nodule, visit the Newly Diagnosed section of ThyCa's web site.

Last updated: February 21, 2007