“The doctors really made me believe that my fatigue was simply due to the fact that I was a lazy teenager.” It is by these words that Courtney Nettleton, a young woman from England, upset millions of Internet users in a story Tiktok. At only 20 years old, she received a diagnosis of thyroid cancer, already propagated to lymph nodes and neighboring blood vessels.
Fatigue and loss of weight .. too general signals?
His symptoms began in the summer of 2021: extreme fatigue, unexplained weight loss, mood swings … but in consultation, all of this was put on the account of his age or a passenger malaise. Due to lack of medical listening, Courtney ignored other signals, until a size in the neck appeared and the exams finally reveal the truth. “For months, I had to sleep the open window, because I felt like I couldn’t breathe without fresh air. I didn’t know it was such a common sign of thyroid cancer”she testifies. Now taken care of, Courtney has lost precious months, due to symptoms that are too often ignored.
Its history recalls a reality, however cruel: this type of cancer is frequent in young adults, especially women, and its symptoms are often discreet, even trivialized.
3 discreet signs that must challenge you
The thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck, plays a central role in the regulation of metabolism and vital functions. When cancer develops there, it can progress without pain or obvious sign, making the diagnosis difficult without vigilance. According to the Dre Hanène Boudabous, an oncologist quoted by the feminine, certain discreet physical signs must imperatively alert, even if they do not seem serious at first glance.
A ball in the neck, painless but persistent
Often discovered by chance, a thyroid nodule can be the first visible sign. It usually causes neither pain nor immediate discomfort, but always should be evaluated medically. In the case of Courtney, it was this mass that led to the right diagnosis, after months of wandering.
A voice that changes without explanation
A lasting wrapping, a more raucous voice or a persistent discomfort to speech can point out an attack on the laryngeal nerve, compressed by a tumor. This symptom is all the more important since it can occur without a palpable ball in the neck.
Difficulties in breathing or swallowing
An oppression in the throat, especially in the elongated position, or discomfort to swallow may indicate that a mass begins to compress the esophagus or the trachea. These signs are sometimes wrongly attributed to stress or benign digestive disorders.
But other symptoms are also to know
DRE Boudabous also cites three often overlooked signs, which can however evoke a thyroid involvement:
- Abnormal and lasting fatigue;
- Respiratory discomfort while sleeping, as courtey lived;
- An increase in nodes in the neck, sometimes visible or simply palpable.
A good prognosis … if the diagnosis is made in time
It is essential to recall that the majority of nodules are mild. And even when cancer is confirmed, the chances of healing are very high. The league against cancer indicates a 5 -year net survival rate of 92 % in men and 98 % in women.
“But it depends of course on the stage of cancer, the type and its aggressiveness. If it can be removed surgically and get rid of it definitively, or if it is metastatic (if it has spread to other organs), the chances are not the same”explained Dr. Ivan Pourmir, oncologist in our pages recently.
Hence the importance of discovering it in time, or consulting in the event of one of these signs.
The treatment is generally based on surgical ablation of the thyroid, followed by treatment with radioactive iodine. Once the gland is removed, a hormonal substitution for life is necessary. “When cancer is located (without metastasus), the reference treatment is based on surgical removal. But once the thyroid gland has been removed, we need to receive synthetic thyroid hormones until the end of his life”added Dr. Poumir.
What the story of Courtney teaches us
The testimony of Courtney Nettleton strongly recalls that no one knows his body better than yourself. If a symptom persists, worsens or seems abnormal, do not hesitate to ask for a second medical opinion. In many cases, a simple examination – ultrasound, blood test, or cytopunction – can allow rapid and effective management.