Thyroid adenoma is a benign tumor that grows from the cells of the organ. The danger of this neoplasm lies in the fact that it causes serious violations of the 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 cells. The histological composition of the tumor can be revealed only with a biopsy followed by microscopic analysis.
Types of adenoma
Thyroid adenoma is classified according to the type of its cells. The most common types of neoplasms are:
- Toxic adenoma. With this disease, nodes form in the thickness of the organ that secrete an excess amount of hormones. Pathology is accompanied by pronounced endocrine disorders. It is possible as a single neoplasm, and multiple. The tumor is oval in shape and small in size. It is easily palpated by palpation.
- Follicular adenoma. This tumorgrows from follicular cells of the gland. It has a round shape and small size. On palpation, a mobile formation is felt. Such an adenoma has a tendency to malignant transformation, so a biopsy of its cells is necessary. This neoplasm is more common in younger patients.
- Papillary adenoma. The tumor is a cyst with fluid. It is the most oncogenic, therefore, its immediate removal is required, followed by a study of the material for cancer cells.
- Oncocytic adenoma. The neoplasm grows from Hurtle cells. The disease often occurs at a young age, and may be asymptomatic for a long time.
Causes of pathology
Currently, the exact causes of thyroid adenoma have not been established. It is possible to single out only unfavorable factors that can provoke the growth of a neoplasm:
- Diseases of the pituitary gland. Excess secretion of pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) can cause an adenoma to form in the thyroid tissue.
- Genetic factor. Thyroid adenoma often affects the parents or close relatives of patients.
- Nodular goiter of the thyroid gland. This disease is sometimes complicated by toxic adenoma.
- Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. VSD is often accompanied by a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
- Neck injuries. Damage to the area of the gland can lead to the growth of neoplasms.
Besides internal pathologies,adenoma can be caused by exposure to adverse external factors, such as:
- chronic intoxication with toxic substances;
- living in an area with unfavorable ecology;
- 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.
General symptoms of the disease
The initial stage of thyroid adenoma is most often asymptomatic. A neoplasm is discovered by chance during a medical examination. Sometimes general symptoms are noted in the early stages:
- fatigue;
- weight loss;
- poor heat tolerance;
- excessive sweating;
- tachycardia;
- anxiety.
Patients do not always associate these signs with thyroid pathology and rarely see a doctor at the initial stage.
As the adenoma grows, discomfort in the throat and neck area occurs:
- Difficulty swallowing and breathing.
- Pain and feeling of a lump in the throat.
- Cough occurs.
- 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 amounthormones - thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These substances enter the bloodstream and affect the entire body. Common symptoms of thyroid adenoma appear:
- temperature increase;
- heavy sweating;
- frequent urination;
- thirst;
- poor condition of skin, nails and hair;
- edema;
- increased 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, fear. There is insomnia and hand trembling.
Thyroid hormones stimulate the heart and blood vessels. Patients complain of attacks of tachycardia, frequent pulse, high blood pressure. There are also signs of pathology in the lungs: patients suffer from shortness of breath not only during physical activity, but also at rest.
The increased concentration of thyroid hormones adversely affects the condition of the organ of vision. Patients have bulging eyes, lacrimation, photophobia. Often vision deteriorates. This is due to the fact that hormones cause swelling of the eye socket and compression of the optic nerve.
Sick people lose their appetite, suffer from frequent abdominal pain and diarrhea. Hormones increase intestinal motility, which leads to dyspeptic symptoms.
Patients experience muscle weakness, increasedmuscle fatigue, it becomes difficult for them to walk for a long time and climb stairs. This is due to the destructive effect of excessive amounts of thyroid hormones on muscle tissue.
Toxic adenoma has an extremely negative impact on human reproductive function. With an increase in the level of thyroxine and triiodothyronine, the production of sex hormones sharply decreases. As a result, the menstrual cycle is disturbed in women, ovulation disappears and endocrine infertility occurs. In men, toxic adenoma can cause impotence, gynecomastia, and impaired spermatogenesis.
An individual patient does not necessarily have all of the above symptoms at the same time. However, as the adenoma grows, more and more new systems of the body are affected. The longer the duration of the disease, the more pronounced organ dysfunction.
Diagnostic Methods
The endocrinologist is engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid adenoma. When examining and palpating the patient's neck, the doctor determines the presence of nodes in the gland. With a large size of the adenoma, a protrusion in the region of the gland is noticeable.
The doctor can only assume a diagnosis according to the patient's complaints and examination data. If nodes are found in the region of the gland during palpation, then this does not always indicate an adenoma. To confirm or refute the presence of a neoplasm, the following studies are prescribed:
- Ultrasound of the gland. This study allows you to determine the shape and size of the nodular formation.
- Scanning with the introduction of radioisotopes. Radioactive iodine is injected into the body in a safe concentration. Then dopicture of the gland. The radioisotope accumulates in the most active nodes. In the picture, such formations differ in color from other tissues.
- CT and MRI of the thyroid. The study allows you to visualize the structure of pathological changes. An MRI scan is more often performed, as it is safer. CT is used less often, as the thyroid gland is undesirable to expose to radiation.
- Biopsy. Under local anesthesia, a puncture is made in the area of the gland and a fragment of the node is taken with a needle. The resulting material is sent for microscopic examination.
- A blood test for hormones. Plasma concentrations of pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as thyroxine and triiodothyronine, are being studied.
- Biochemical blood test. With adenoma, glucose levels are usually elevated, but lipid levels are reduced.
Drug therapy
Treatment of follicular adenoma of the thyroid gland is carried out as conservative. as well as surgical methods. In mild cases, drugs are prescribed that reduce the formation of thyroid hormones. These medications include:
- "Tirozol".
- "Carbimazole".
- "L-Thyroxine".
- "Propicil".
Before prescribing drugs, it is necessary to conduct a blood test for thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Taking such medications is acceptable only if the hormones exceed the norm.
These drugs are also prescribed at the stage of preparation for surgicalintervention. Before thyroid surgery, it is necessary to lower the level of thyroid hormones to normal.
During the treatment of thyroid adenoma with medicines, stress should be avoided whenever possible. It is also important to eat right, the diet should contain a sufficient amount of proteins and vitamins. It is also necessary to exclude excessive exposure to sunlight and visits to the solarium.
Types of operations for adenoma
Treatment of toxic adenoma of the thyroid gland is carried out only by surgical methods. This neoplasm very often develops into cancer. Surgical intervention is also indicated in the absence of the effect of drug therapy. Currently, operations are the main method of treating adenoma, since the use of drugs does not always give the desired results.
Most often, a thyroid adenoma is removed. Under general anesthesia, the tumor is removed along with the capsule. He althy tissues are not affected, and the excised adenoma is sent for histology. Such intervention is possible only in the absence of signs of malignant cell transformation.
If malignant cells are found 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.
If a large part of the organ or the entire gland is removed, then the patient needs a regular lifelong intake of hormones. Otherwise, they may developsevere signs of hypothyroidism.
Other treatments
In old age, surgery may be contraindicated due to the poor he alth of the patient. In such cases, more gentle methods of treatment are used.
Prescribe drugs with radioactive iodine. They accumulate and destroy tumor cells. Sometimes ethyl alcohol is injected into the area of \u200b\u200bthe gland with a syringe. This substance also cauterizes the adenoma and destroys its cells.
Folk remedies
It is impossible to cure thyroid adenoma with folk remedies alone. This is too complex a disease that requires a professional medical approach. Nodes cannot resolve from the use of infusions and decoctions. Self-treatment can only lead to the degeneration of an 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, be sure to consult with your doctor. Phytopreparations from the following plants will help normalize the hormonal background:
- gorse dye;
- European zyuznik;
- white cinquefoil;
- cherry bark;
- comfrey.
These herbal remedies will help lower your thyroid hormone levels somewhat. But at the same time, it is important to remember that no folk recipes can stop the growth of a tumor.
Disease prognosis
Prognosis of life in thyroid adenoma is favorable with timely treatment. If the patientan operation was performed at the stage of development of early symptoms, then the disease ends with a complete recovery. However, with the complete removal of the gland, lifelong medication is required. The patient after the operation should be regularly observed by the endocrinologist.
If the adenoma has developed into cancer, then the prognosis is much more 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 oncological pathology.
Conservative treatment reviews
Conservative treatment is indicated only in mild cases of thyroid adenoma. Reviews of drug therapy indicate that after a course of taking drugs, patients have decreased levels of thyroid hormones.
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.
Operation reviews
You can find a lot of positive feedback about the operation for thyroid adenoma. Most patients tolerated the surgery well. They quickly disappeared all the unpleasant manifestations of thyrotoxicosis: tearfulness, anxiety, tachycardia, insomnia. In many patients, blood pressure returned to normal.
The disadvantages of the operation, patients refer only to 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 performance improved significantly after the operation.
Prevention
How to prevent adenoma? The exact etiology of this disease is unknown. Therefore, specific prevention of pathology has not been developed.
Reduce the risk of a tumor will help regular examination by an endocrinologist. It is also necessary to take a blood test for thyroid hormones annually. These recommendations especially apply to women over the age of 40. Such patients are especially susceptible to this disease. Regular visits to the doctor will allow you to identify the pathology in the early stages and carry out treatment on time.
