About the Thyroid Gland

The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that sits in the neck on top of the wind pipe (trachea). A healthy thyroid creates the hormone that is responsible for your body’s metabolism.

Disorders of the thyroid fall under two main categories: functional disorders and growth disorders. Functional disorders are related to thyroid hormone production. If the thyroid is making too little hormone, this is known as hypothyroidism. If the thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone, this is known as hyperthyroidism. Growth disorders including Thyroid Cancer occur when nodules appear within the thyroid and cause problems in a variety of ways.

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Disorders of the Thyroid Gland

Hyperthyroidism

There are several causes for hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder which results in the overproduction of thyroid hormone leading to hyperthyroidism. Patients suffering from hyperthyroidism can experience weight loss, heat intolerance, palpitations, tremor, anxiety, skin and hair changes, menstrual changes, eye problems know as Graves’ ophthalmopathy, and other problems. Other disorders resulting in hyperthyroidism include toxic multinodular goiter (Plummer’s Syndrome) and solitary toxic nodule. Both of these disorders are due to nodules (growths) within the thyroid that result in excessive production of thyroid hormone.

For more information on treatment of thyroid disorders at White Plains Hospital, or to schedule a consultation, call 914-849-MyMD.

Hypothyroidism

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This is an autoimmune disease in which a person makes antibodies against the thyroid resulting in inflammation of the thyroid. Patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis initially often suffer from hyperthyroidism. As the gland begins to burn out, the patient becomes euthyroid and then ultimately results in hypothyroidism, with inability to produce enough thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hypothyroidism vary but can include weight gain, cold intolerance, skin and hair changes, menstrual changes, depression among other symptoms. This disorder is often treated medically with thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

Thyroid Cancer

The care of patients with thyroid cancer at White Plains Hospital is highly customized and involves a team of experts who collaborate to provide seamless care. We have endocrinologists who are experts in the field of thyroid and parathyroid disease and work closely with surgeons who are specially trained in endocrine surgery. The Endocrine Surgery Program also includes experts in the fields of radiology and nuclear medicine, offering onsite diagnostic imaging and image-guided biopsy utilizing the most advanced diagnostic techniques and equipment. Our team of pathologists provides onsite, real-time interpretation of thyroid biopsies.

While the vast majority of thyroid nodules are benign, more than 64,000 new cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed in 2016 making it one of the more commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States and one of the most common cancers for women. The two main risk factors for thyroid cancer include radiation exposure and family history.

Thyroid cancer is often treatable. The overall five-year survival rate is 98 percent. Treatment for thyroid cancer depends on the cell type, tumor size, and whether the cancer has spread elsewhere. Most patients have total surgical removal of the entire thyroid gland (thyroidectomy). Some patients may require removal of lymph nodes in the neck, doses of radioactive iodine, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Patients who have had the thyroid removed require thyroid hormone replacement, which slows the growth of any thyroid cancer cells possibly lurking in the body after surgery.