Cancer Symptoms
Information and resources for most types of cancer

Cancery Dictionary

 Index of the different types of cancer on this site.

Treatments

Diagnosis

Stages

Symptoms

Prevention

General Information

Thyroid cancer staging

Once cancer of the thyroid is found (diagnosed), more tests will be done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. A doctor needs to know the stage of the disease to plan treatment.

The following stages are used for papillary cancers of the thyroid:

Stage I papillary

Cancer is only in the thyroid and may be found in one or both lobes.

Stage II papillary

In patients younger than 45 years of age:

Cancer has spread beyond the thyroid.

In patients older than 45 years of age:

Cancer is only in the thyroid and larger than 1 centimeter (about 1/2 inch).

Stage III papillary

Cancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread outside the thyroid (but not outside of the neck) or has spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage IV papillary

Cancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and bones.

The following stages are used for follicular cancers of the thyroid:

Stage I follicular

Cancer is only in the thyroid and may be found in one or both lobes.

Stage II follicular

In patients younger than 45 years of age:

Cancer has spread beyond the thyroid.

In patients older than 45 years of age:

Cancer is only in the thyroid and larger than 1 centimeter (about 1/2 inch).

Stage III follicular

Cancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread outside the thyroid (but not outside of the neck) or to the lymph nodes.

Stage IV follicular

Cancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and bones.

The following stages are used for medullary cancer of the thyriod.

Stage I medullary

Cancer is less than 1 centimeter (about 1/2 inch) in size.

Stage II medullary

Cancer is between 1 and 4 centimeters (about 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches) in size.

Stage III medullary

Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage IV medullary

Cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Anaplastic

There is no staging system for anaplastic cancer of the thyroid. This type of cancer of the thyroid grows faster than the other types.

Recurrent

Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may come back in the thyroid or in another part of the body.