Thyroid Cancer

For my research/review paper, I am focusing on thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is located in the thyroid gland at the front of your neck.

The Thyroid gland is often fully removed through surgery, removing the cancer along with it. This common procedure is called a thyroidectomy.

After the thyroid gland is removed through surgery, many patients are given radioactive iodine. Since the thyroid gland absorbs iodine, it absorbs the radioactive iodine. The radioactive iodine then kills any remaining thyroid cells, and hopefully all of the remaining cancer. Radioactive iodine can be used by itself, without a prior surgery, however it is not as common.

In our first week back we learned about cancer, and how telomeres allow cancer cells to continue through the cell cycle without a Hayflick limit. We learned that a normal growing cell is called a    proto-oncogene, and cell that divides uncontrollably is called an oncogene, and is cancerous. We also learned about tumor suppressor genes, and how they are affected by mutation.