Symptoms of thyroid cancer in females are generally the same as symptoms in males. Examples include vocal changes, neck pain, and persistent coughing. It may also affect menstruation.

Thyroid cancer develops in the thyroid gland, a gland in the neck that produces hormones responsible for regulating processes such as metabolism, heart rate, and body temperature.

While females are more likely to develop thyroid cancer than males, the signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer are the same for everyone, regardless of sex or gender.

The use of binary terms such as “male” and “female” or “men” and “women” in this article reflects the language of the sources we’ve used. Unless otherwise noted, it’s unclear whether the research we reference included participants with expansive gender identities.

While females are around three times more likely than males to develop thyroid cancer, the condition presents similarly in females and males.

Symptoms may include:

However, many people with thyroid cancer do not have symptoms. This is because thyroid cancers typically do not affect thyroid function, so the hallmark signs of too high or too low thyroid hormones are not usually present.

When thyroid cancer does affect thyroid function in rare cases, it can cause subtle symptoms due to too little or too much thyroid hormone. These symptoms may include:

Thyroid dysfunction can also cause changes in the menstrual cycle. This can result in periods that are lighter or heavier, or they may happen more or less often.

Thyroid cancer skin manifestations

According to research from 2023, skin changes may occur along with thyroid cancer. This may be due to underlying genetic conditions or because the cancer has spread to the skin tissue.

These skin changes can appear as follows:

  • Hyperpigmented areas: These are areas of darker skin that typically appear around the upper shoulder.
  • Mucosal neuromas: These are benign nerve tissue tumors in the mouth.
  • Oral papillomas: These are skin tumors in the mouth.
  • Trichilemmoma: These are small wart-like growths that usually develop on the face or neck.
  • Acral keratosis: These are wart-like lumps primarily on the hands and feet.

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer. It is also more common in females, and is more likely to occur between the ages of 30 and 60 years.

Papillary thyroid cancer is a subtype of differentiated thyroid cancer. There are several main types of thyroid cancer:

  • Differentiated: This cancer develops from thyroid follicular cells and accounts for the majority of thyroid cancers. It includes subtypes of follicular cancer, papillary cancer, and Hürthle cell cancer.
  • Medullary: This cancer develops in the C cells of the thyroid. It accounts for approximately 4% of thyroid cancers. There are two types: familial and sporadic.
  • Anaplastic: Anaplastic cancer also called undifferentiated carcinoma. It may develop from differentiated cancer, is fast growing, and is considered challenging to treat. It accounts for around 2% of all thyroid cancer.

Other rare types of thyroid cancers exist, including thyroid lymphomas and thyroid sarcomas.

Thyroid cancer is three times more common in females than in males.

The reasons for this aren’t well understood. Some research suggests that males and females experience thyroid cancer equally, but that females are more likely to detect thyroid cancer.

Other theories point to natural female hormonal cycles that may play a role in an increased risk of thyroid cancer.

A 2021 study found that women who began menopause at age 45 or older had a higher risk of thyroid cancer, compared with women who began menopause at a younger age.

Thyroid cancer can develop in anyone at any time, but the average age of diagnosis overall is around age 51.

In females, thyroid cancer is more common between ages 25 and 65.

In general, thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers in people between ages 20 and 39.

Thyroid cancer survival rates vary depending on if the cancer is localized to its original location, regionally spread into nearby tissues, or has moved to distant sites around the body.

Survival rates also vary depending on the type of thyroid cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 5-year relative survival rates for papillary, follicular, and medullary thyroid cancers have similar projections:

  • Localized: greater than 99%
  • Regional: 99% for papillary, 97% for follicular, and 94% for medullary
  • Distant: 71% for papillary, 62% for follicular, and 50% for medullary

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is often more aggressive and challenging to treat. Its 5-year relative survival rates are:

  • Localized: 45%
  • Regional: 14%
  • Distant: 5%

Relative survival rates

The relative survival rate suggests how long someone with a condition may live after their diagnosis compared to someone without the condition of the same race, sex, and age over a specific time.

This is different from overall survival rate, which is a percentage of people still alive for a specific time after diagnosis of a condition.

It’s most important to remember that figures are estimates, and everyone is different. Talk with your doctor about your specific condition.

Thyroid cancer is more common in females than males, but the signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer are usually the same. Examples of thyroid cancer symptoms include neck pain, swelling or a lump in the neck, vocal changes, hoarseness, trouble breathing, and problems with swallowing.

Changes in thyroid function can also affect menstruation. For example, periods may be lighter or heavier, or they may occur more or less frequently.

Speak with a doctor if there are concerns about thyroid cancer. They can provide more information about symptoms and risk factors.