FOLLICULAR THYROID CANCER

Course overview

THE THYROID IS AN ENDOCRINE GLAND LOCATED JUST BELOW THE CRICOID CARTILAGE IN THE NECK, AND IT IS COMPOSED OF BOTH THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT LOBES SEPARATED BY AN ISTHMUS. THE THYROID GLAND FUNCTIONS TO PRODUCE THE THYROID HORMONE WHICH IS NEEDED BY THE BODY TO CARRY OUT DIFFERENT METABOLISM. FOLLICLES COMPRISE THE THYROID AND ARE THE FUNCTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL UNITS OF THE GLAND. THYROID CANCER IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ENDOCRINE TUMORS AND CLASSIFIES AS EITHER DIFFERENTIATED OR UNDIFFERENTIATED CANCER. DIFFERENTIATED CANCERS INCLUDE PAPILLARY AND FOLLICULAR THYROID CARCINOMA, AND UNDIFFERENTIATED TYPES INCLUDE MEDULLARY THYROID CANCER AND ANAPLASTIC CANCER. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS FOLLICULAR THYROID CANCER, DESCRIBING THE ETIOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, HISTOLOGY, EVALUATION, STAGING, AND COMPLICATIONS OF FOLLICULAR THYROID CANCER AND THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAMS IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.