Not just a 'chick's disease'

Researchers have long studied why women are three times more likely than men to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

“That’s why I say thyroid cancer is very elusive, the data are not strong enough to really tell us what the differences are for men and women, why the prevalence is much higher in women than men,” said Dr. Elaine Ron, a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute.

What those within the medical community do know is that when men are diagnosed with thyroid cancer, it’s usually a more severe case.

Gary Bloom, the executive director of the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, jokes that he has a “chick’s disease,” but his experience wasn’t something to laugh about.

In the mid 1990s, when Bloom was in his early 30s, he went to a doctor because his “snoring” was so loud. Bloom wasn’t snoring, he was gasping for air. A doctor misdiagnosed him with sleep apnea, but when an oxygen mask didn’t improve his breathing, Bloom sought a second opinion. An ear, nose, and throat specialist recognized something was amiss in Bloom’s throat. As it turned out, a 5-centimeter tumor in his throat was making it hard to breathe at night.

After more testing, doctors confirmed Bloom actually had two 5-centimeter tumors: one in the back of his throat and one on his thyroid.When his wife was three months pregnant with their second child, he was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma, but of the tall cell variant. The variant is an aggressive form of papillary cancer in which the malignant cells are taller than they are wide, and the prognosis is more serious.  

Ninety percent of thyroid cancer patients respond to radioactive iodine treatment after undergoing surgery to remove the thyroid. But Bloom had to take five radioactive iodine treatments after his thyroid was removed to achieve the same results most people see after just one. 

Although Bloom hesitates to share his thyroid cancer experience because it’s atypical, it’s no wonder he cringes when people refer to thyroid cancer as “the good cancer.”

Experts are investigating why the mortality rate among older men with thyroid cancer is increasing, even as screening methods improve. Theoretically, better detection should translate into earlier detection of disease and a decrease in the mortality rate.

More stories in this investigation: Thyroid 101 | Thyroid cancer increase baffles researchers | Medical community does 'about face' | 'We have exposed our kids' | Are you at risk? | Treatment options and outlook