[KoK! Health] Is Thyroid Cancer Only in Women?… Male Patients Increased by 23% in 5 Years

Male Thyroid Cancer: Often Difficult to Treat and Frequently Poor Prognosis

The number of men suffering from thyroid cancer, known as a cancer that commonly affects women, is increasing. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, thyroid cancer cases in South Korea increased by 11% from 2018 to 2022. Among them, male patients rose from 63,937 in 2018 to 78,944 in 2022, a 23.4% increase. This is a significant rise compared to female patients, who increased by about 8%, from 290,257 to 314,144.

Since about 80% of thyroid cancer patients are known to be women, men often do not recognize the risk. However, male thyroid cancer tends to be more difficult to treat and has a poorer prognosis compared to females, so caution is necessary.

[Image source=Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital]

◆ Male Thyroid Cancer Grows Without Symptoms = The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located in front of the trachea. It secretes thyroid hormones necessary for metabolism, including maintaining body temperature and growth development. In the early stages of thyroid cancer, mild symptoms such as voice changes and throat pain appear, making early detection difficult. Often, the disease is suspected only when the tumor grows large enough to be visible as a lump in the neck or causes breathing difficulties. Even then, men’s larger Adam’s apples make the cancer less noticeable unless it grows larger than 5 cm. Lee Dong-jin, director of Gangnam Severance Hospital at Hallym University, said, “Due to male anatomy, early detection of cancer is more difficult, so many men visit hospitals only after the disease has progressed to some extent. Because of this, the prognosis tends to be relatively poor even after treatment.”

◆ Men Should Not Be Complacent and Need Regular Checkups... Prevention of 'Metabolic Syndrome' Also Necessary = Regular checkups are necessary to detect male thyroid cancer early and improve treatment outcomes. Due to the stereotype that it is a “cancer common in women,” many men neglect screening. However, it is advisable to consider regular checkups if there are symptoms such as voice changes or throat pain, a family history, or a history of radiation therapy to the face and neck during childhood.

Improving dietary habits and regulating exercise are also necessary for prevention. Lifestyle habits that prevent obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia are needed to avoid metabolic disturbances that negatively affect thyroid hormones. In fact, a large-scale study found that men with metabolic syndrome have a 15-58% higher risk of thyroid cancer compared to those without it.

◆ Neck Incision Is a Thing of the Past... Robot Surgery Through the Mouth Allows Scar-Free Operation = If thyroid cancer develops, surgery to remove the cancerous area should be considered. In the past, depending on the location and extent of the cancer, the neck was cut widely by more than 5 cm to remove the thyroid. However, since the neck is a visible area, the discomfort from scars and the risk of complications were significant, leading to continuous development of methods to minimize the surgical area. Methods involving incisions in the chest or armpits to avoid visible scars were also developed, but these caused considerable patient discomfort and complications.

Recently, a scarless “transoral robotic thyroid surgery” has been introduced. This involves inserting three precise robotic surgical instruments through the space between the lips and teeth to remove the thyroid without large incisions. The surgical field is magnified 10 to 30 times, and the robot arms move thinly and delicately to perform precise surgery. Director Lee Dong-jin said, “This surgery method focuses on eliminating scars and preserving neck function. Compared to surgeries that cut the chest or armpits, the distance from the incision to the thyroid is shorter, resulting in less nerve damage, less pain, and fewer complications such as voice changes.”