"What Are the Dangers of Fever in Thyroid Cancer Patients?"

Fever is clinically referred to as pyrexia. Thyroid cancer is a relatively common endocrine malignancy in the head and neck region, originating from thyroid follicular epithelium or parafollicular epithelial cells. When thyroid cancer patients experience fever, the potential hazards include reduced immune function, compromised treatment outcomes, impaired wound healing, increased risk of infection, and accelerated disease progression. Detailed analyses are as follows:

1. Reduced Immune Function

Fever indicates an abnormality in the body's central system for regulating temperature, leading to impairment of various bodily functions and subsequently weakening the patient's immune system.

2. Compromised Treatment Outcomes

Thyroid cancer requires individualized treatment. If fever occurs during treatment, it may necessitate the postponement or alteration of the treatment plan, thereby affecting the overall treatment efficacy and potentially leading to unsatisfactory results.

3. Impaired Wound Healing

If fever occurs post-surgery, it can cause vasoconstriction around the wound, reducing blood supply and hindering wound healing.

4. Increased Infection Risk

During fever, patients have weaker resistance, making them more susceptible to infections caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other pathogens.

5. Accelerated Disease Progression

Fever in thyroid cancer patients may also indicate the metastasis of cancer cells to the lungs, which suggests the disease has progressed to the intermediate or advanced stages. The prognosis for intermediate and advanced-stage patients is generally poorer than that for early-stage patients.

If the patient's fever does not exceed 38.5°C, physical cooling methods can be used to reduce the fever, such as wiping the forehead, underarms, palms, and soles of the feet with a warm towel. If the fever exceeds 38.5°C, medications like Ibuprofen Capsules, Paracetamol Tablets, or Indometacin Suppositories can be prescribed. Concurrently, active treatment of thyroid cancer through surgical intervention, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and other methods should be pursued. It is recommended that patients seek medical attention promptly to receive individualized treatment from a physician.