The Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (Pasykaf) is marking Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month this September with a campaign aimed at informing the public about the disease.

Thyroid cancer primarily affects individuals aged 35 to 59, the country’s cancer registry shows. As of 2023, it is the second most common cancer in women and the sixth in men.

The campaign is supported by the Cyprus Endocrinological Society and Opap Cyprus.

Pasykaf’s head of prevention Georgia Orphanou said that thyroid cancer is highly treatable in most cases, stressing the importance of early diagnosis, as the symptoms can be easy to miss.

Thyroid cancer often presents with few visible symptoms, which may include persistent hoarseness lasting several weeks, a lump or swelling in the neck that is painless and slow-growing, thyroid enlargement that presses on the oesophagus causing difficulty swallowing, pain in the front of the neck radiating to the ear, breathing issues, or a persistent cough.

For prevention, Pasykaf recommends regular clinical neck exams during doctor visits and self-examination of the neck at least once a year, as early detection of thyroid nodules can improve treatment outcomes.

The association also stressed that thyroid cancer results from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Major risk factors include a family history of thyroid cancer, childhood neck radiation, female gender, a diet low in iodine, and certain genetic syndromes, particularly in cases of medullary thyroid cancer.

More information on thyroid cancer is available at www.pasykaf.org or through the organisation’s helpline at 77771986.