Making Sense of the Many Types of Thyroid Disease

The thyroid, a small gland in your neck, performs its job of producing thyroid hormone without much notice. Only when the thyroid develops a problem does its vital role in the body’s functioning become apparent.

Thyroid diseases are endocrine conditions, and they can affect your quality of life in a variety of ways. Fortunately, with the help of your primary care provider and an endocrinologist, a thyroid condition doesn’t have to keep you from thriving.

Why the Thyroid Is Important

“The thyroid’s primary function is to make thyroid hormone, which is a general regulator of metabolism,” says Thomas Fahey III, chief of endocrine surgery, director of the Endocrine Oncology Program and an attending surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “This hormone contributes to how fast your heart beats, how fast your hair grows and how fast digestive substances pass through your intestines. So, thyroid hormone has a wide-ranging effect throughout the body. Disorders of the thyroid are quite common.”

Women have a higher risk for thyroid diseases than men. According to the Office on Women’s Health, 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid condition at some point.

Thyroid Troubles

Two of the most common types of thyroid disease are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone, which can cause metabolism to accelerate. This condition may not cause symptoms at first. Over time, however, you may experience unexplained weight loss, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or other symptoms.

If you have hypothyroidism, the thyroid doesn’t make enough hormone, which can slow your metabolism. As a result, you may have little energy, gain weight and feel unusually cold.

Other thyroid conditions include:

• Goiter, which is an enlarged thyroid
• Thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid

What to Know About Thyroid Nodules

Live long enough, and you’ll likely develop thyroid nodules, Dr. Fahey says. Nodules are small, solid or fluid-filled growths that can form on the thyroid. They’re usually not a cause for concern. In some cases, however, thyroid nodules are cancerous, or they’re benign but cause problems, such as hyperthyroidism.

“Basically, thyroid nodules have three possible outcomes,” Dr. Fahey says. “First, the pathologist looking at the cells from a biopsy may deem the nodule benign, which is, by far, the most common outcome at 70% to 75% of cases. Second, the pathologist may deem the nodule malignant, or cancerous, which, fortunately, is the least common outcome. Third, approximately 25% to 30% of the time, the nodule is indeterminate, which means the pathologist sees some cells that are a little atypical but not sufficient to say it looks like cancer.”

Thyroid Cancer Treatment

Although most thyroid nodules aren’t cancerous, these growths are the most common risk factor for thyroid cancer. Symptoms are uncommon with nodules. Sometimes, however, swelling in the neck or trouble swallowing will lead a physician to investigate for cancer.

Patients with thyroid cancer often need surgery to remove a portion or all of the gland. Many patients go home the same day, and most recover well. If found early, thyroid cancer is curable with surgery.

Need help managing a thyroid disease? Find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine.