Thyroid adenoma is a benign tumor that grows from organ cells. The danger of this neoplasm is that it causes serious violations of endocrine function, and is also prone to malignant degeneration. Most often, this pathology affects women over the age of 40-45 years. An adenoma is a node in the thickness of the gland, which consists of a certain type of cell. The histological composition of the tumor can be detected only by biopsy with subsequent microscopic analysis.
Types of Adenoma
Thyroid adenoma is classified depending on the type of its cells. The most common types of neoplasm:
- Toxic adenoma. With this disease, nodes are formed in the thickness of the organ that secrete an excessive amount of hormones. Pathology is accompanied by pronounced endocrine disorders. Perhaps as a single tumor, and multiple. The tumor is oval and small in size. It is easily palpated when palpated.
- Follicular adenoma. This tumor grows from the follicular cells of the gland. It has a round shape and small size. On palpation, a mobile formation is palpated. Such an adenoma is prone to malignant degeneration, therefore, a biopsy study of its cells is necessary. This neoplasm is more often observed in young patients.
- Papillary adenoma. A tumor is a cyst with fluid. It is the most oncogenic, therefore, its immediate removal is required, followed by examination of the material for cancer cells.
- Oncocytic adenoma. The neoplasm grows from Gürtle cells. The disease often occurs at a young age, and can be asymptomatic for a long time.
Causes of pathology
At present, the exact causes of the appearance of thyroid adenoma have not been established. Only adverse factors that can trigger the growth of a neoplasm can be distinguished:
- Pituitary Disease Excessive secretion of the pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) can cause the formation of adenoma in the thyroid tissue.
- Genetic factor. Thyroid adenoma is often affected by the parents or immediate relatives of the patients.
- Nodular goiter of the thyroid gland. This disease is sometimes complicated by toxic adenoma.
- Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. VVD is often accompanied by a violation of the thyroid gland.
- Neck injuries. Damage to the gland can lead to the growth of tumors.
In addition to internal pathologies, the occurrence of adenoma can lead to the influence of adverse external factors, such as:
- chronic intoxication with toxic substances;
- living in an area with an unfavorable environment;
- work in hazardous production.
Some endocrinologists believe that a lack of iodine in the diet can also provoke a neoplasm. Therefore, adenoma is often observed in patients living in areas with a deficiency of this element in the water.
Common symptoms of the disease
The initial stage of thyroid adenoma is most often asymptomatic. A neoplasm is detected by chance during a medical examination. Sometimes in the early stages common symptoms are noted:
- fatigue;
- weight loss;
- poor heat tolerance;
- excessive sweating;
- tachycardia;
- anxiety.
Patients do not always associate these signs with thyroid pathology and rarely go to the doctor at the initial stage.
As the adenoma grows, discomfort occurs in the throat and neck:
- The process of swallowing and breathing is difficult.
- Pain and sensation of a lump in the throat appear.
- There is a cough.
- The voice becomes hoarse.
- The front of the neck is deformed.
Signs of Toxic Adenoma
With toxic adenoma, signs of thyroid dysfunction are pronounced . Nodular formations produce an increased amount of hormones - thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These substances enter the bloodstream and affect the whole body. The general symptoms of thyroid adenoma appear:
- temperature rise;
- heavy sweating;
- frequent urination
- thirst;
- poor condition of the skin, nails and hair;
- swelling
- an increase in blood sugar.
Thyroid hormones secreted in large quantities by adenoma cells disrupt the functioning of various organs. First of all, the nervous system suffers. Triiodothyronine and thyroxine act on the central nervous system as stress hormones. The patient has increased anxiety, irritability, depression, a sense of fear. Insomnia and trembling of the hands are noted.
Thyroid hormones aphrodisiac on the heart and blood vessels. Patients complain of tachycardia attacks, frequent heart rate, high blood pressure. Signs of pathology from the lungs are also noted: patients are short of breath short of physical activity, but also at rest.
An increased concentration of thyroid hormones adversely affects the state of the organ of vision. Patients are observed with ocular oculation, lacrimation, photophobia. Often vision deteriorates. This is due to the fact that hormones cause swelling of the orbit and compression of the optic nerve.
Patients lose their appetite, suffer from frequent abdominal pain and diarrhea. Hormones increase intestinal motility, which leads to dyspeptic symptoms.
Patients experience muscle weakness, increased muscle fatigue, and it becomes difficult for them to walk and climb stairs for a long time. This is due to the devastating effect of excessive amounts of thyroid hormones on muscle tissue.
Toxic adenoma negatively affects the reproductive function of a person. With increasing levels of thyroxine and triiodothyronine, the production of sex hormones decreases sharply. As a result, the menstrual cycle is disrupted in women, ovulation disappears and endocrine infertility sets in. In men, toxic adenoma can cause impotence, gynecomastia, and impaired spermatogenesis.
In a single patient, all of the above symptoms do not necessarily occur simultaneously. However, as the adenoma grows, more and more new body systems are affected. The greater the duration of the disease, the more pronounced organ dysfunction.
Diagnostic Methods
An endocrinologist is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid adenoma. Upon examination and palpation of the patient’s neck, the doctor determines the presence of nodes in the gland. With large sizes of adenomas, a protrusion in the gland region is noticeable.
The doctor can only suggest a diagnosis of patient complaints and examination data. If nodes are found in the gland during palpation, this does not always indicate an adenoma. To confirm or disprove the presence of a neoplasm, the following studies are prescribed:
- Ultrasound gland. This study allows you to determine the shape and size of the nodal formation.
- Scanning with the introduction of radioisotopes. Radioactive iodine is introduced into the body in a safe concentration. Then take a picture of the gland. The radioisotope accumulates in the most active sites. In the picture, such formations differ in color from other tissues.
- CT and MRI of the thyroid gland. The study allows you to visualize the structure of pathological changes. More often, an MRI scan is performed, since it is safer. CT is used less often, since the thyroid gland is undesirable to be irradiated.
- Biopsy. Under local anesthesia, a puncture is made in the gland area and a fragment of a node is taken with a needle. The resulting material is sent for microscopic examination.
- Blood test for hormones. The plasma concentration of the thyroid-stimulating hormone of the pituitary gland (TSH), as well as thyroxine and triiodothyronine, is examined.
- Biochemical blood test. With adenoma, glucose levels are usually elevated, but lipid levels are reduced.
Drug therapy
Treatment of follicular thyroid adenoma is carried out as conservative. and surgical methods. In mild cases, drugs that reduce the formation of thyroid hormones are prescribed. These medicines include:
- "Tyrosol".
- "Carbimazole".
- "L-thyroxine."
- Propitsil.
Before prescribing drugs, it is necessary to conduct a blood test for thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Acceptance of such medications is permissible only if the hormones exceed the norm.
These drugs are also prescribed at the stage of preparation for surgical intervention. Before thyroid surgery, it is necessary to lower the level of thyroid hormones to normal.
When treating thyroid adenoma with medication, stress should be avoided whenever possible. It is also important to eat right, the diet should contain a sufficient amount of protein and vitamins. It is also necessary to exclude excessive exposure to sunlight and a visit to the solarium.
Types of operations with adenoma
Treatment of toxic thyroid adenoma is carried out only by operational methods. This neoplasm very often develops into cancer. Surgical intervention is also indicated in the absence of the effect of drug therapy. Currently, surgery is the main treatment for adenoma, since the use of drugs does not always give the desired results.
Most often, thyroid adenoma is removed. Under general anesthesia, the tumor is removed with the capsule. Healthy tissues are not affected, and the excised adenoma is sent for histology. Such an intervention is possible only in the absence of signs of malignant degeneration of cells.
If malignant cells are detected in the node during a biopsy, then the following types of operations are performed for thyroid adenoma:
- removal of half of the gland;
- resection of most of the organ;
- complete removal of the thyroid gland.
If most of the organ or all of the iron is removed completely, then the patient needs regular lifelong hormone intake. Otherwise, severe signs of hypothyroidism may develop.
Other treatments
In advanced age, surgery may be contraindicated due to the poor state of health of the patient. In such cases, more gentle treatment methods are used.
Prescribe drugs with radioactive iodine. They accumulate and destroy tumor cells. Ethyl alcohol is sometimes injected into the area of the gland using a syringe. This substance also cauterizes the adenoma and destroys its cells.
Folk remedies
It is impossible to cure thyroid adenoma with the help of folk remedies alone. This is too complex a disease that requires a professional medical approach. Nodes can not resolve due to the use of infusions and decoctions. Self-medication can only lead to the degeneration of the adenoma into a malignant tumor.
However, decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs can be used as an addition to the main therapy. Before using them, you should always consult your doctor. Herbal preparations from the following plants will help normalize the hormonal background:
- gorse dyeing;
- European zyuznik;
- cinquefoil white;
- cherry bark;
- comfrey officinalis.
These herbal medicines will help to slightly reduce the level of thyroid hormones. But it is important to remember that no folk recipes can stop the growth of the tumor.
Disease prognosis
The prognosis of life with thyroid adenoma is favorable with timely treatment. If the patient underwent surgery at the stage of development of early symptoms, the disease ends in complete recovery. However, with complete removal of the gland, lifelong administration of drugs is necessary. After surgery, the patient should be regularly observed by an endocrinologist.
If the adenoma has grown into cancer, then the prognosis is significantly complicated. Survival depends on the stage of the disease. Only the complete removal of the gland can save the patient in the event of the development of cancer.
Reviews of conservative treatment
Conservative treatment is indicated only in mild cases of thyroid adenoma. Reviews of drug therapy indicate that after a course of taking drugs, thyroid hormone levels decreased in patients.
However, often after drug therapy, patients still had to undergo surgery, as their condition worsened. In addition, thyreostatic drugs adversely affect the state of immunity.
Operations Reviews
You can find many positive reviews about surgery for thyroid adenoma. Most patients underwent surgery well. They quickly disappeared all the unpleasant manifestations of thyrotoxicosis: tearfulness, anxiety, tachycardia, insomnia. Many patients have returned to normal blood pressure.
The only drawback of surgery is the need for lifelong medication. This applies to those patients who have had most of the gland removed. At the same time, people note that their quality of life and working capacity improved significantly after the operation.
Prevention
How to prevent the appearance of adenoma? The exact etiology of this disease is unknown. Therefore, specific prophylaxis of pathology is not developed.
Reducing the risk of a tumor will help regular examination by an endocrinologist. It is also necessary to annually take a blood test for thyroid hormones. These recommendations apply especially to women over the age of 40. Such patients are especially susceptible to this disease. A regular visit to the doctor will allow you to identify pathology in the early stages and conduct treatment on time.