Does anyone have some advise about thyroid cancer?

im 16 and practically my whole family has or had thyroid cancer(it is weird). My grandmother had it, her twin sister, her twin sister's daughter, my aunt and my mom . i will probably get it too.





Is there anything you can do to help prevent thyroid cancer?Does anyone have some advise about thyroid cancer?
It depends on the type of cancer. For example medullary thyroid cancer is aggressive and can be genetic (part of a class of disorders called MEN 1 %26amp; 2a). If your relatives had medullary, this is hard to cure, is a surgical disease, and does not respond to radioactive iodine.





Other types of thyroid cancer are less associated with genetics, such as papillary thyroid (the most common), follicular (less common but more aggressive than papillary) and anaplastic (least common and most deadly).





The key for you is to find out if your family members were ever close to radiation or had a relative working with radioactive material, as this can also cause an increase in thyroid (and other) cancers. Find out if your relatives were treated with radioactive iodine after removal of the cancer.





If you think it is medullary thyroid cancer, you should see a geneticist for testing to see if you have the gene. If you do have it, you will need your thyroid gland removed entirely.





If your relatives were treated with radioactive iodine, they did not have medullary cancer, and the good news is that the prognosis for this type of cancer is very good. Were it me, I would start getting a thyroid ultrasound every year starting around the age that my closest relative was diagnosed (you mom). You can ask your doctor to send you to an endocrinologist for this.





Very few people actually die of thyroid cancer (only the most aggressive forms or those that are diagnosed very late). So, if you just increase your surveillance a little, you will be safe.





Best of luck to you and be well. Remember at your age the biggest risk to your life is trauma (usually in an auto), so be careful on the roads and choose who you ride with carefully.Does anyone have some advise about thyroid cancer?
Thyroid cancer cannot be prevented. Most people who have thyroid cancer do not have any known risk factors for the disease.





A genetic test can determine whether you have an increased risk for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). If genetic testing shows that you have an increased risk for MTC, you can have your thyroid gland removed to prevent the development of thyroid cancer later in life.
http://www.thyroid-cancer.net/topics/wha鈥?/a>





In most cases, scientists do not know what causes thyroid cancer, but there are a few risk factors that have been associated with the development of thyroid cancer.





The first of these is radiation exposure to the thyroid gland. From the 1920's through the 1950's, certain conditions including acne, inflammation of the skin, enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids, and enlargement of the thymus gland were treated with X-rays. In later years, it was discovered that patients who had been exposed to these X-rays were more likely to develop thyroid cancer. Studies have shown that there is no increased risk of thyroid cancer associated with exposure to dental X-rays. Modern radiation therapy used for treatment of cancer in the head, neck, or chest is also associated with a smaller risk of thyroid cancer.





A predisposition to certain forms of thyroid cancer can be inherited. A specific form of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid cancer can be inherited as familial medullary thyroid cancer or as a condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia 2. Familial medullary thyroid carcinoma leads to growth of tumors in the thyroid gland without involvement of other endocrine glands. Children of parents with this condition are at risk of developing medullary thyroid cancer, and should also be evaluated and followed with appropriate testing. Multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 is a syndrome caused by a genetic alteration that leads to the growth of tumors the thyroid gland, the parathyroid glands, and the adrenal glands. Children of parents with this syndrome are at risk of developing medullary thyroid cancer, and should be evaluated and followed with appropriate testing.
Check out www.webmd.com. It is very helpful!
You seem to definately have a family history. Key thing to take note is how old your relatives were when they were diagnosed.


The current common thinking regarding the causes of cancer is that it is a combination of genetic and enviromental factors. That being said the key for you at 16 is too reduce your envirometnal risk factors such as diet, exercise, over all health. So if you don't smoke don't start because depriving your cells of oxygen (which smoking does) can raise your risks significantly. Same with alcohol because this can lead to other factors which can lead to cancer. Not to mention any other kind of drug use. For right now if you are concerned and to put your mind at ease you can schedule an appointment with your mother Oncologist (or any oncologist) and explain your concerns. They can offer tips to reduce your additional risk factors and recommend based off those diagnosis dates I mentioned earlier when you should start active screening and what symptoms to be aware of. As with any cancer the earlier the detection the better your chances for a successful treatment.
Check this link at the American Cancer Society:





http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/conten鈥?/a>





Also-ThyCa- a thyroid cancer resource:


http://www.thyca.org/





Good luck!