Signs & Symptoms:
- Unexplained weight changes
- Excessive sweating or heat intolerance
- Fatigue or weakness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches or vision changes
- Abdominal pain or swelling
- Skin changes or rashes
- Irregular periods or infertility (in women) and Erectile dysfunction (in men)
Causes
Stages:
- Stage 1: The cancer is small and only in the gland where it started.
- Stage 2: The cancer has grown larger and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
- Stage 3: The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs.
- Stage 4: The cancer is advanced and may be difficult to treat.
Risk Factors:
- Genetic mutations: Some endocrine cancers are caused by inherited genetic mutations that increase the risk of cancer.
- Exposure to radiation: People who have been exposed to radiation, such as those who received radiation therapy to the head or neck as children, have a higher risk of developing endocrine cancer.
- Family history: People with a family history of endocrine cancer are more likely to develop the disease.
- Age: Endocrine cancer is more common in people over the age of 60.
Prevention, Screening And Diagnosis:
- Understand your family history: Be aware of any history of endocrine cancer in your family
- Regular check-ups: Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider can help detect endocrine cancer early
- Hormone level tests: Hormone level tests can detect abnormalities in hormone levels and help diagnose endocrine cancer.
- Imaging tests: Imaging tests, such as CT, MRI and ultrasound scan can help detect a lump or mass in the endocrine gland.
Treatment options:
- Surgery: Surgery to remove all or part of the endocrine gland is the most common treatment for endocrine cancer.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
- Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy uses drugs that target specific mutations or proteins in cancer cells.
- Hormone therapy: Hormone therapy is used to block the production of hormones that can fuel the growth of cancer cells.
Post-treatment follow-up:
Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider
Hormone level tests to monitor hormone levels
Imaging tests, such as ultrasound, to check for any signs of recurrent cancer
Medications to replace the hormones the endocrine gland would normally produce, if surgery has removed the entire gland.
It’s important to note that early detection and treatment are key for successful outcome for endocrine cancer and regular check-ups are important, it’s also important to consult with an expert endocrinologist/surgeon for a personalized treatment plan that best suits your case.
FAQ
Diagnosis involves blood and hormone tests, imaging (ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET-CT), biopsy, and molecular testing for accurate staging and treatment planning.
Symptoms may include hormonal imbalance, unexplained weight changes, fatigue, neck swelling, blood pressure changes, abnormal blood sugar levels, and digestive issues, depending on the gland affected.
Yes, surgery is often the primary treatment, especially for thyroid and adrenal cancers, with a focus on organ preservation and hormonal balance.
Yes. Early-stage endocrine cancer can often be cured with surgery, radiation, or targeted therapy.
Endocrine cancer is staged from 1 to 4, with early stages localized and advanced stages spreading to nearby or distant organs.
Contact Us
Visiting Hours
OPEN 24 hours 7 days a week.
OPD Timings : Monday to Saturday
( 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM )
Appointments
Emergency
Visit the hospital
MGM Cancer Institute
No 119 & 121, Nelson Manickam Road, Raajeswari Street, Rajaram Mehta Nagar,
Aminjikarai, Chennai – 600029
