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Suggested Vocabulary, Cancer Synonyms & Keyword Search Tips When Searching a Database or Website

According to PubMed.gov (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) the official biomedical term for thyroid cancer is:

Thyroid Neoplasms

Below is an example of a natural language searching term that most people would use when conducting a search. Natural language is basically how we speak on an every day basis.

Thyroid Cancer

And below are examples of controlled vocabulary searching terms.  Controlled vocabulary search terms are usually provided by the database and it is a good point to investigate the terms provided by the database.

thyroid carcinoma

papillary thyroid carcinoma

thyroid disease

thyroid nodules

papillary thyroid cancer

medullary thyroid cancer

thyroid dysfunction

differentiated thyroid cancer

anaplastic thyroid cancer

Useful Databases to Research

Using the key searching terms above, below are some excellent databases that you can explore and research for information on Thyroid Cancer.

PubMed.gov  PubMed comprises more than 24 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

CDC.gov  The official mission and function statements for the organizational components of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are provided below. In addition, official organizational charts for those organizational components that contain substructure are also provided. Click the links below to display the statements or the organizational charts for CDC and/or ATSDR.

http://www.cdc.gov/

MedlinePlus  MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine,  the world’s largest medical library, it brings you information about diseases,  conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus  offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free.

 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/


PHPartner.org   Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce is a collaboration of U.S. government agencies, public health organizations, and health sciences libraries which provides timely, convenient access to selected public health resources on the Internet.

http://phpartners.org/

El Cáncer de Tiroides en Español.

MedlinePlus es el Instituto Nacional de la página web de la Salud para los pacientes y sus familias y amigos. Producido por la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina, la biblioteca médica más grande del mundo, que le trae información sobre enfermedades, condiciones y temas de bienestar en el lenguaje que usted pueda entender. MedlinePlus ofrece información fiable y actualizada información sobre la salud, en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar, de forma gratuita.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/medlineplus.html

CDC.gov Las declaraciones oficiales de la misión y función de los componentes de la organización de los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) y la Agencia para Sustancias Tóxicas y el Registro de Enfermedades (ATSDR) se proporcionan a continuación. Además, también se proporcionan organigramas oficiales para esos componentes organizativos que contienen subestructura. Haga clic en los enlaces de abajo para mostrar las declaraciones o los organigramas de los CDC y / o de la ATSDR.

http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/

Thyroid Cancer/Medicine Key Terms

Key terms

Biopsy —  The  surgical  removal  and  microscopic  examination  of  living  tissue  for  diagnostic  purposes.
Calcitonin —  A  hormone  produced  by  the  parafollicular  cells  (C  cells)  of  the  thyroid.  The  main  function  of  the  hormone  is  to  regulate  calcium  levels  in  body  serum.
Chemotherapy —  Treatment  of  cancer  with  synthetic  drugs  that  destroy  the  tumor  either  by  inhibiting  the  growth  of  the  cancerous  cells  or  by  killing  them.
Hormone therapy —  Treatment  of  cancer  by  inhibiting  the  production  of  hormones  such  as  testosterone  and  estrogen.
Hyperthyroidism —  A  condition  in  which  the  thyroid  is  overactive  due  to  overstimulation  of  the  thyroid  cells.
Hypothyroidism —  A  condition  in  which  the  thyroid  gland  is  underactive.
Lobectomy —  A  surgical  procedure  that  removes  one  lobe  of  the  thyroid.
Radiation therapy —  Treatment  with  high-energy  radiation  from  x-ray  machines,  cobalt,  radium,  or  other  sources.
Total thyroidectomy —  A  surgical  procedure  that  removes  the  entire  thyroid  gland.

Where the Thyroid is Located

Image Citation:  http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=JN.hFzyvs1s0NzQnto%2bEkp4uA&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0

Thyroid Cancer Etiology, Causes, and Symptoms

The exact cause of thyroid cancer is not known; but it is more common in whites than in African Americans. Radiation was used in the 1950s and 1960s to treat acne and  to  reduce  swelling  in  infections  of  the  tonsils,  adenoids  and  lymph  nodes.  It  has  been  proven  that  this  exposure  is  a  risk  factor  for  thyroid  cancer.  In  some  areas  of  the  world, diets are  low  in  iodine.  Papillary  and  follicular  cancers  occur  more  frequently  in  these  areas.  Iodine  deficiency  is  not  a  large  problem  in  the  United  States  because  iodine  is  added  to  table  salt  and  other  foods.  Approximately  7%  of  thyroid  cancer  are  caused  by  the  alteration  (mutation)  of  a  gene  called  the  RET  gene,  which  can  be  inherited.
Symptoms are rare so the lump is not usually painful. The symptoms of thyroid nodules are:
  • a lump or nodule that can be felt in the neck is the most frequent sign of thyroid cancer
  • the lymph nodes may be swollen and the voice may become hoarse because the tumor presses on the nerves leading to the voice box
  • some patients experience a tight or full feeling in the neck and have difficulty breathing or swallowing

 

Image Citation:  http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=JN.JiMFuq/lmVpgPFvlGj76yw&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Thyroid+Cancer

More on Thyroid Cancer Etiology:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thyroid-cancer/basics/causes/CON-20043551

Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis

Physicians use several tests to confirm the suspicion of thyroid cancer, to identify the size and location of the lump and to determine whether the lump is noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Blood tests such as the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test check thyroid function. These are drawn by a technician with a needle and takes a few minutes. It take several days to be interpreted by a pathologist. Calcitonin is produced by the C cells (parafollicular cells) of the thyroid gland when the parafollicular cells of the thyroid become cancerous. Blood calcitonin levels are used to confirm the diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer if it is suspected.
 
For more information on Thyroid Dianosis follow the link below:
 
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Thyroid+Cancer

Treatments for Thyroid Cancer

The aggressiveness of each type of thyroid cancer is different. Cancer staging considers the size of the tumor, whether it has grown into surrounding lymph nodes and whether it has spread to distant parts of the body (metastasized). Age and general health status are also taken into account. In patients less than 45 years old there are only two stages. I papillary or follicular type thyroid cancer, stage I refers to patients without evidence of cancer that has spread to the body. Stage II refers to patients with spread of cancer outside the thyroid gland. In patients over 45, patients with tumors smaller than one cm are classified as stage I, those with tumors not broken through the capsule (covering) of the thyroid belong to stage II, those with tumors outside the capsule or lymph node involvement are called stage III and those with spread outside the thyroid area are stage IV. In medullary—type thyroid cancer, stage I and IV are the same. Stage II consists of patients with tumors greater than one cm and stage III comprises patients with lymph node involvement.
 
For more information on Thyroid Cancer treatments please follow the link below:
 
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Thyroid+Cancer
 
 

Alternative Treatments & Prevention

Alternative treatments for Thyroid Cancer:

Hormone therapy uses hormones after surgery to stop this growth and the formation of new cancerous thyroid cells. To prevent cancerous growth, the natural hormones that are produced by the thyroid are taken in the form of pills. Thus, their levels remain normal and inhibit the pituitary gland from making TSH. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and surgery is not possible, hormone treatment is aimed at killing or slowing the growth of cancer cells throughout the body.
 
Click on link below for:  Homeopathic Alternatives for Thyroid Disease from Dr. Josh Axe:
 
http://draxe.com/8-secrets-to-cure-hypothyroidism-and-other-hormone-problems/
 
Prevention for Thyroid Cancer:
 
Because most people with thyroid cancer have no known risk factor, it is not possible to completely prevent this disease. However, inherited cases of medullary thyroid cancer can be prevented and radiation to the neck is avoided. If a family member has had this disease, the rest of the family can be tested and treated early. The National Cancer Institute recommends that a doctor examine anyone who has received radiation to the head and neck during childhood at intervals of one or two years. The neck and the thyroid should be carefully examined for any lumps or enlargement of the nearby lymph nodes. Ultrasound may also be used to screen for the disease in people at risk for thyroid cancer.

Thyroid Cancer Prevention Information From WebMD:
 
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/thyroid-cancer-prevention 

Video Title: Treating Thyroid Cancer

This video is presented by the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer.  For more information about the Montefiore Einstein Center for Caner please visit them at:

http://www.montefiore.org/thyroid-cancer-2804 

Thyroid Cancer - The Nebraska Medical Center

This video is narrated by Dr. Bill Lydiatt, Surgical Oncologist, from the Nebraska Medical Center.  For more information about the Nebraska Medical Center please visit them at:

http://doctors.nebraskamed.com/ 

About This Guide

Hello Everyone.  My name is Danny Gonzalez and I am a student at Texas Woman's University.  I created this LibGuide as part of one of my class assignments for my LS 5483 Consumer Health Information Class.  The date for this assignment is May 2015 and my contact information is:

dgonzalez6@twu.edu. 

This guide is meant to educate all individuals about Thyroid Cancer.  Like many other cancers, Thyroid Cancer does not discriminate and affects people of all ages and of all races.  There are a variety of reading levels within this LibGuide.  If you suspect that you or someone you know may have symptoms related to Thyroid Cancer, please seek the advice from your primary medical doctor or from your primary medical practitioner as soon as possible. 

Book Resources using WorldCat

Journals & Publications

Cancer Societies and Associations