'Uncontrolled goitre could develop into thyroid cancer'

Varanasi, Sep 24 (UNI) At least ten per cent cases of uncontrolled goitre could snowball into Thyroid cancer -- nintyfive per cent of which is totally curable.

Prof S Sadasivam who heads, Department of Surgery, CMC Hospital, Coimbatore told UNI here that 10 per cent cases of goitre which remain uncontrolled could become malignant and subsequently aggravate into thyroid cancer.

Prof Sadasaivam was in the city to attend the integrated meeting of World Federation of Surgical Oncology and Indian Association of Surgical Oncology, which concluded at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) here today.

Besides, uncontrolled goitre, people having a family history of thyroid cancer stood at higher risk of developing the disease, which represented two to three per cent of cancer cases in the world. Men aged above 50 and women above 40 years of age were more vulnerable to this form of cancer, Prof Sadasivam maintained.

The oncologist, however, said that if the cancer was detected early it could be cured totally in 95 per cent cases. ''Those vulnerable to the disease should go for the Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) test, once they realise any lump in the the thyroid region of their throat.'' Following timely detection, thyroid cancer can be cured fully through a surgery. If despite surgery some portion of cancer cells remain active in the thyroid gland, they can be destroyed through the oral intake of a liquid combining thyroxine and radium.

While 95 per cent cases of thyroid cancer can be cured totally, two to five per cent cases representing cancer of higher magnitude cannot be cured, but only treated.

''In such cases, the disease cannot be cured and only the life of patient can be prolonged upto a maximum period of one year,'' Prof Sadasivam said.

Advising the regular intake of iodised salt to stay away from goitre and subsequently thyroid cancer, Prof Sadasivam, the president elect of Indian Association Surgical Oncology said that surgical treatment of the disease should only be done under a specialised surgeon.

''In case the surgery is being done by a non-sepcialist, post surgical complications could crop up, hampering the quality of speech of the patient and even affecting the functioning of the parathyroid glands, which control calcium formation in the body.'' Prof Sadasivam also underlined that post surgery, a patient has to life long take thyroxine tablets to ward off any other thyroid related disease.

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