The thyroid nodule
La thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck, below the Adam’s apple. It manufactures the thyroid hormones essential for the control of basic metabolism, metabolism providing the energy essential to the body to maintain its vital functions: heart, brain, breathing, digestion, maintaining body temperature.
It is not uncommon for a small mass forms in the thyroid gland, for reasons that are still often unknown. We give it the name of thyroid nodule (Latin nodulus, small knot).
Thyroid nodules are very common: between 5 and 20% of the population has a nodule of more than 1 cm perceived on palpation and if we count the non-palpable nodules identified only by ultrasound, 40 to 50% of the population has a thyroid nodule. For reasons probably hormonal, the nodules are approximately 4 times more frequent in the women than in men.
Basic metabolism The nodules are most often not accompanied by any symptoms. And if 95% of thyroid nodules are benign, 5% are of cancerous origin. Some nodules, although benign (non-cancerous) are toxic (5 to 10%), that is to say they produce excess thyroid hormones. More rarely, the nodule can be annoying by its volume and become compressive (2.5%) Palpation of the neck must be systematic during the consultation with the general practitioner, the gynecologist, etc. It is therefore important to make an accurate diagnosis of the origin of a nodule to understand what type of nodule it is, if it should be treated and how. |
Types of thyroid nodules
- Colloidal nodule. The most common form of nodule, the colloidal nodule is made up of normal cells.
- Cysts. Cysts are formations filled with fluid. They can grow up to several centimeters in diameter. They are, for the most part, benign.
- Inflammatory nodule. It most often occurs in people with thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid. Thyroiditis can develop as a result of an autoimmune disease (a disease where the body develops antibodies against its own organs), such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. It can also occur after pregnancy.
- Adenoma. It is a benign tumor. Anatomically, tumor tissue closely resembles healthy tissue in the thyroid gland. To distinguish the adenoma from cancer, a biopsy is necessary.
- Thyroid cancer. The malignant (or cancerous) nodule represents 5% to 10% of thyroid nodules. Thyroid cancer is a rather rare cancer. There are 4000 new cases in France per year (for 40 breast cancers). It concerns women in 000% of cases. Its incidence is increasing in all countries. Nodules are more common in women, but men have an increased risk of developing cancer in a thyroid nodule. People with a history of thyroid problems or who received radiation therapy to the head or neck as a child are at greater risk. This cancer is usually very well treated with a 75-year survival rate exceeding 5%.
Goiter or nodule? Goiter is different from a nodule because it concerns the entire thyroid gland which increases in size. The nodule, on the other hand, is characterized by a small mass circumscribed on the thyroid. But in some goiters, the increase in volume is not homogeneous, affecting only certain areas of the thyroid, thus constituting a so-called nodular or multi-nodular goiter (cf. goiter sheet) |