Donations help drive thyroid cancer research

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a global leader in pediatric research and treatment for many kinds of cancers and diseases, including rare endocrine tumors, such as thyroid and adrenocortical tumors. When you donate towards childhood cancer research, you are helping St. Jude provide children cutting-edge treatments not covered by insurance, at no cost to families.

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St. Jude patient Colton B.

St. Jude patient Colton B.

 
 

What are thyroid nodules and what is thyroid cancer?

Thyroid nodules are lumps of abnormal cells that grow in the thyroid gland. Most thyroid nodules are benign. This means they are not cancerous. Thyroid cancer (also called thyroid carcinoma) is rare in children and teens.

About 2% of thyroid cancers in the U.S. occur in people under age 20. About 25% of thyroid nodules found in children and teens are cancerous (malignant). The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located at the base of the throat in the front of the neck. It has two lobes: one on the right and one on the left.

The thyroid gland is part of the body's endocrine system. It makes the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones control body functions such as temperature, appetite, growth and energy level. A hormone made in the brain called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) controls T3 and T4 blood levels. The thyroid makes T3 and T4 hormones using iodine from the diet and a thyroid protein called thyroglobulin (Tg). Both healthy and cancerous thyroid tissue make this thyroglobulin protein. Doctors can monitor the level of thyroglobulin in the blood to find any new thyroid cancer after treatment.

Facts about thyroid cancer

  • The thyroid gland makes hormones that control body functions such as temperature, appetite, growth and energy levels.
  • Although thyroid cancer is rare in children and teens, it’s important to stay aware of abnormal neck-related symptoms as early detection and treatment provide a better chance of recovery.
  • There are three types of thyroid cancer found in children: papillary, follicular and medullary. Treatment will depend on the type of cancer present.
 
 
St. Jude patient Antonio flexes

St. Jude patient Antonio

 

Endocrine cancer research at St. Jude

To find effective treatment and cures for rare endocrine-related tumors, St. Jude has several ongoing clinical research studies and hosts the St. Jude Collaborative Rare Endocrine (CoRE) Tumor Referral Clinic. This clinic provides patients and families with expert consultations, educational resources, medical examinations and more. In some cases, patients qualify to participate in St. Jude clinical trials which can allow the center to offer more specialized treatment options. The results of our clinical trials are then used to help develop more effective treatments for pediatric cancer types.

 
 

How do thyroid cancer research donations help?

As a world leader in pediatric research and treatment for rare endocrine tumors, your donations help support that research and save the lives of children and adolescents around the world.  Your generosity helps ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live. 

 
St. Jude patient Emily holding a photo of how she looked during treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma

St. Jude Patient Emily
 
 

How to make a thyroid cancer research donation to St. Jude

Unlike other hospitals, the majority of funding for St. Jude comes from generous donors. St. Jude has helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% in 1962 to 80% today. We won't stop until no child dies from cancer.

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