Like other parts of the body, the endocrine glands can develop cancer, so what is endocrine cancer?
The endocrine system contains a group of glands distributed in various parts of the body.
Endocrine cancer is the emergence of cancer in any of the glands in the body.
Endocrine cancer is rare and thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine cancer.
Endocrine cancer
As it was mentioned that the body contains a large group of glands, here are the most important details about some types of endocrine cancer:
1. Cancer of the hypothalamus
The hypothalamus gland is located in the brain. Cancer may originate in the hypothalamic gland and cause many problems in the body, because the hypothalamus has an essential role in maintaining the balance of the body.
In fact, there is no known reason for the emergence of hypothalamic gland cancer, as genetic factors and some external influences play an increased risk of this type of cancer.
Symptoms of hypothalamic gland cancer: Symptoms of hypothalamic gland cancer include the following:
Disorder of feelings and sensations.
Failure to thrive, especially in children.
headache.
Excessive physical activity.
Severe loss of appetite and weight.
Convulsions and sometimes loss of vision, depending on the location and size of the cancerous tumor.
Hypothalamic gland cancer treatment: Treatment depends on the nature, size, and aggressiveness of the cancer cells. Treatment is usually by resorting to surgery combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
In the event that fluid accumulates around the brain due to the effect of the cancerous tumor, it is treated with steroids. Synthetic hormones are also used to compensate the body and try to restore balance inside the body due to the disruption of the hypothalamic gland hormones due to cancer.
2. Pituitary carcinoma
Pituitary cancer arises in the cells of the pituitary gland present in the brain. Pituitary gland tumors are benign tumors in most cases, as the cause of pituitary gland tumors is not known until now and is likely to occur due to genetic factors.
Symptoms of pituitary cancer: Symptoms of pituitary cancer differ depending on the location of the tumor in the gland. The effect of the tumor may sometimes lead to an increase in the secretion of hormones from their normal level, and sometimes it may lead to a decrease in the secretion of hormones from their normal level.
Here are the most important details about the symptoms of pituitary cancer
General symptoms that occur due to the pressure of the tumor include: headache and loss of vision.
Symptoms that appear due to lack of hormones and include: nausea and vomiting, general weakness, a sense of permanent coldness, stopping or irregular menstruation, impotence, frequent urination and sudden weight loss or gain.
Symptoms that appear due to higher levels of hormones than normal and include: Cushing''s syndrome that appears due to high cortisol, acromegaly due to the effect on growth hormone, impotence in men and menstrual irregularities in women with the appearance of milk from the breast during the non-lactation period due to the effect of the tumor on Prolactin level or symptoms of hyperthyroidism may appear.
Pituitary cancer treatment: Treatment includes several options, including surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.
Some pharmacological treatments are also used to discourage symptoms resulting from hormonal imbalance or compensate for their deficiency.
3. Thyroid cancer
The thyroid gland is located in the neck area. Cancer can originate in the cells of the thyroid gland and usually affects women more than men.
Causes of thyroid cancer: The cause of thyroid cancer is a genetic mutation that occurs in its cells. There are some factors that increase the risk of thyroid cancer, including:
Thyroid inflammation and enlargement.
heredity.
Exposure to radiation in childhood.
obesity.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer: Symptoms of thyroid cancer include the following
Sensation of lumps and painless swelling in the thyroid gland.
Swelling and swelling of the neck.
Sudden persistent hoarseness.
Persistent sore throat.
Difficulty swallowing.
Treatment of thyroid cancer: Treatment of thyroid cancer depends on the type of cancer and its spread. Treatments include the following:
surgery.
Radioactive iodine treatment.
Radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy or targeted biological therapies for the disease.
4. Carcinoma of the parathyroid glands
The parathyroid glands are four glands located just behind the thyroid gland. Parathyroid cancer is rare and usually occurs over the age of 30.
There are no clear causes that lead to the emergence of parathyroid gland cancer, as this type of cancer is difficult to diagnose and grows slowly.
Symptoms of Parathyroid Cancer: The primary function of the parathyroid glands is to maintain normal levels of calcium in the blood and bones.
In the event that cancer arises in it, the parathyroid hormones will be affected, which leads to hypercalcemia in the blood, and thus the symptoms include the following:
Bone pain.
bone fractures
frequent urination.
Frequent feeling of thirst.
Nausea and vomiting.
Anorexia.
General fatigue and muscle pain.
holding.
kidney stones.
Treatment of parathyroid gland cancer: Treatment includes correcting blood calcium levels as much as possible to reduce side effects, using the following treatments:
Intravenous fluid injection.
Bisphosphonate medication.
calcitonin.
Gallium nitrate.
As for the cancerous tumor, the best treatment is surgery in conjunction with radiotherapy in some sick cases.
5. Adrenal cancer
