5. Clinical Presentation: PTC vs. FTC – How Symptoms Set Them Apart
The journey to diagnosis often starts with clinical presentation, and while there are common symptoms across different types of thyroid cancer, subtle differences can be indicators of whether one might have PTC or FTC.
Mostly, both PTC and FTC present as a painless lump in the thyroid region. However, PTC is often associated with early spread to neck lymph nodes, which could present as additional lumps in the neck. On the other hand, FTC, though less likely to invade the lymph nodes, tends to spread hematogenously, i.e., via the bloodstream, and may present with distant metastasis, particularly to the lungs and bones.
Moreover, PTC might be associated with voice changes due to involvement of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and FTC may sometimes be associated with signs of hyperthyroidism, especially in cases of follicular thyroid carcinoma ‘functioning’ variant.
While these symptoms might guide the clinician towards a particular type of thyroid cancer, it’s important to note that the final diagnosis is generally confirmed via biopsy, given the overlapping nature of clinical presentations in thyroid cancers. (5)
