What Are Thyroid Nodules?

Thyroid nodules are solid or fluid-filled lumps or bumps. They're found on your thyroid, a small gland in your neck. This gland makes thyroid hormone, which affects your metabolism (the internal process that turns your food into energy), heart rate, and many other systems in your body. Sometimes, cells in your thyroid can grow out of control and form a lump, called a thyroid nodule.

What Are Thyroid Nodules?

Are Thyroid Nodules Serious?

Most often the answer is no. You usually can't feel thyroid nodules. Even though they happen from an overgrowth of cells, only about 1 in 10 thyroid nodules turn out to be cancer. Benign (noncancerous) thyroid nodules are common. Lots of people get them as they get older. If a thyroid nodule isn't cancerous, it may not need any treatment. Your doctor might just watch it to make sure it doesn't keep growing or start causing other problems.

Types of Thyroid Nodules

There are several types of thyroid nodules. Most are not cancerous (benign) and are easily treatable. Some nodules are so small that you may not even notice them, while others can grow large enough to cause discomfort when swallowing, sleeping, or even wearing certain clothing.

Thyroid adenoma

These are noncancerous growths of normal thyroid tissue. You do not need treatment for these growths unless they lead to symptoms. Your doctor will monitor them with regular ultrasounds of your neck.

Toxic adenoma

These growths cause your thyroid to make extra hormones, a condition called hyperthyroidism. They are very rarely cancerous. Only 1%-8% of people with hyperthyroidism develop cancer from these growths.

Thyroid cysts

These growths are filled with fluid. They are almost never cancerous.

Goiter

Any swelling or rise in the size of your thyroid is called a goiter. They can be caused by problems with your autoimmune system or by too little iodine in your body. You won't need treatment unless you are having certain symptoms.

Multinodular goiter

Your doctor might use this term when your thyroid is swollen and has multiple growths. Most often, these growths are benign. You will only need treatment if you have certain symptoms or if any of the growths test positive for cancer.

Thyroid cancer

Cancer can form when the cells in your thyroid don't grow normally. Some types of thyroid cancer — papillary and follicular — grow more slowly than other types of the disease. Other kinds of thyroid cancer include:

Hurthle thyroid cancer
Medullary thyroid cancer
Poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer

The type of cancer you have will determine your treatment.