Key Points and Insights on Thyroid Cancer

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type, affecting women and often associated with a history of radiation to the neck. It spreads to lymph nodes but rarely metastasizes hematogenously. Treatment involves total thyroidectomy, adjuvant radioactive iodine therapy, and surveillance with calcitonin and thyroglobulin levels. Follicular thyroid cancer spreads hematogenously and requires a total thyroidectomy. Medullary thyroid cancer arises from C cells, produces calcitonin, and is associated with germline mutations in the RET gene. Treatment involves total thyroidectomy with central and lateral node dissections.