When To Call a Doctor

Call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• A lump or swelling in your neck. This is the most common symptom of thyroid cancer.
• Pain in your neck and sometimes in your ears that doesn't go away and is not caused by a cold or allergies.
• Hoarseness that is not related to a cold
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing or constant wheezing
• A cough that continues and is not related to a cold
• Bone pain.

Watchful Waiting

Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. If you get better on your own, you won't need treatment. If you get worse, you and your doctor will decide what to do next. Watchful waiting is not appropriate if you have symptoms that do not go away or that are getting worse. If you are concerned about your symptoms and think you may have thyroid cancer, call your doctor.

If you have respiratory symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, or hoarseness, see the topic Respiratory Problems, Age 12 and Older to determine whether you need to see your doctor.

Who To See

Health professionals who can evaluate your symptoms and help determine your risk for thyroid cancer include:

• Endocrinologists.
• Family medicine physicians.
• General practitioners.
• Internists.
• Nurse practitioners.
• Physician assistants.

Thyroid cancer is usually treated by endocrinologists, nuclear medicine specialists, surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.