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What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?

A lump or swelling in the neck or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, a hoarse voice, or enlarged lymph nodes could be signs of thyroid cancer, but other conditions may also cause these symptoms.

The thyroid gland can become larger than normal (goitre) or develop lumps, known as nodules. There are many reasons the thyroid gland may become larger but most of the time it is not cancer[22]. Nodules are common, mostly in older adults[23], but are usually not cancer.  

The most common symptoms of thyroid cancer are: 

  • a lump or swelling in the neck or throat that may get bigger over time 
  • difficulty breathing or shortness of breath 
  • difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) 
  • a hoarse voice or a cough that doesn’t go away 
  • enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. 

There are a number of conditions that may cause these symptoms, not just thyroid cancer. If any of these symptoms are experienced, it is important that they are discussed with a doctor. 

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