Bay Biosciences provides FFPE Tissue blocks with matched sera (serum), plasma and PBMC biofluid samples from patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Moreover, the sera (serum) and plasma are processed from thyroid cancer patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.

Thyroid Cancer Overview

Thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon in the United States compared to other cancers. Specifically, thyroid cancer occurs in the cells of the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple.

Moreover, the thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight. Notably, thyroid cancer occurs more often in women than in men. In fact, thyroid cancer typically doesn’t cause any signs or symptoms early in the disease. However, as thyroid cancer grows, it may cause symptoms such as a lump that can be felt on the neck.

In addition, there may be changes to the patient’s voice, including hoarseness, difficulty swallowing food, pain in the neck and throat, as well as swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

Furthermore, thyroid cancer occurs when cells in the thyroid gland undergo genetic changes or mutations. Consequently, the mutations allow the cells to grow and multiply rapidly.

Additionally, the cells also lose the ability to die, as normal cells would. As a result, the accumulating abnormal thyroid cells form a tumor. Ultimately, the abnormal cells can invade nearby tissue and can spread or metastasize to other parts of the body.

Types of Thyroid Cancer

Following are different types of thyroid cancers which include:

  • Papillary Thyroid Cancer, which is the most common type, can occur at any age; however, it usually affects people between ages 30 to 50. Specifically, papillary thyroid cancer arises from follicular cells, which produce and store thyroid hormones. Furthermore, it is also sometimes referred to as papillary thyroid cancer and follicular thyroid cancer together as differentiated thyroid cancer.
  • On the other hand, Follicular Thyroid Cancer also arises from the follicular cells of the thyroid. In general, it usually affects people older than age 50. Additionally, Hurthle cell cancer is a rare and potentially more aggressive type of follicular thyroid cancer.
  • Moreover, Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer is a rare type of thyroid cancer that begins in the follicular cells. Notably, it grows rapidly and is very difficult to treat. Typically, anaplastic thyroid cancer occurs in adults aged 60 and older.
  • In contrast, Medullary thyroid carcinomas begin in thyroid cells called C cells, which produce the hormone calcitonin. Consequently, elevated levels of calcitonin in the blood can indicate medullary thyroid cancer at a very early stage. Finally, certain genetic syndromes increase the risk of medullary thyroid cancer; however, this genetic link is uncommon.
  • Finally, other rare types – Other very rare types of cancer that start in the thyroid include thyroid lymphoma, which immune system cells of the thyroid activate, and thyroid sarcoma, which connective tissue cells of the thyroid activate.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer often presents as a lump or nodule in the thyroid; however, it usually does not cause any symptoms. Consequently, a doctor commonly examines the neck to discover thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers. Often, imaging tests like CT scans and neck ultrasounds, which are done for completely unrelated reasons, incidentally find thyroid nodules. Rarely, however, thyroid cancers and nodules may cause symptoms. In these cases, for instance, patients may complain of pain in the neck, jaw, or ear.

If a nodule is large enough to compress the windpipe or esophagus, it may consequently cause difficulty with breathing, swallowing, or cause a “tickle in the throat.” Even less commonly, thyroid cancer can invade the nerve that controls the vocal cords and, as a result, cause hoarseness.

Furthermore, thyroid cancer typically doesn’t cause any signs or symptoms early in the disease. Nevertheless, as thyroid cancer grows, it may cause:

  • A lump (nodule) that can be felt through the skin on your neck near the Adams apple
  • Changes to the voice, including increasing hoarseness
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Difficulty swallowing (Dysphagia)
  • Pain in the neck and throat
  • A cough that persists and is not caused by a cold
  • Swollen lymph nodes in your neck

Causes of Thyroid Cancer

Exact causes of thyroid cancer are not clear. In fact, thyroid cancer occurs when cells in the thyroid undergo genetic mutations (changes). Specifically, certain mutations (changes) in a person’s DNA can cause thyroid cells to become cancerous.

Consequently, the mutations allow the cells to grow and multiply rapidly. Furthermore, the cells also lose the ability to die, as normal cells would. As a result, the accumulating abnormal thyroid cells form a tumor.

Moreover, the abnormal cells can invade nearby tissue and can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. In addition, cancers can be caused by DNA changes that turn on oncogenes or turn off tumor suppressor genes.

 

Risk Factors of Thyroid Cancer

The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing thyroid cancer:

  • For instance, gender plays a role: women are diagnosed with 3 of every 4 thyroid cancers.
  • Additionally, age is a factor: thyroid cancer can occur at any age, but about two-thirds of all cases are found in people between the ages of 20 and 55.
  • Notably, anaplastic thyroid cancer is usually diagnosed after age 60.
  • Furthermore, genetics is significant: some types of thyroid cancer are associated with genetics. To illustrate, below are some key facts about this disease, genes, and family history
  • Ultimately, an abnormal RET oncogene, which can be passed from parent to child, may cause Medullary thyroid cancer.
  • A family history of Medullary thyroid cancer increases a person’s risk. Additionally, people with MEN2 syndrome are also at risk for developing other types of cancers.

Additional Risk Factors

  • Furthermore, a family history of precancerous polyps in the colon, also called the large intestines, increases the risk of developing papillary thyroid cancer.
  •  In terms of race, white people and Asian people are more likely to develop thyroid cancer; however, this disease can affect a person of any race or ethnicity.
  • Moreover, a diet low in iodine is significant because iodine is needed for normal thyroid function. In the United States, iodine is added to salt to help prevent thyroid problems.
  • On a related note, a recent study showed that breast cancer survivors may have a higher risk of thyroid cancer, particularly in the first 5 years after diagnosis and for those diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age. Consequently, researchers continue to examine this finding.
  • Lastly, radiation exposure is another factor; specifically, exposure to moderate levels of radiation to the head and neck may increase the risk of papillary and follicular thyroid cancers.”

Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer

Following diagnostic tests, in addition, available options may help diagnose thyroid cancer:

  • Firstly, physical examination,
  • Secondly, blood tests,
  • Including thyroid hormone levels,
  • as well as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH),
  • And Tg and TgAb.
  • Moreover, medullary type-specific tests,
  • Along with ultrasound,
  • And biopsy,
  • Such as fine needle aspiration,
  • Or surgical biopsy,
  • Additionally, molecular testing of the nodule sample,
  • Followed by radionuclide scanning,
  • Then X-ray,
  • And finally, computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan,
  • Or positron emission tomography (PET) or PET-CT scan.

Following diagnostic tests and available options maybe used for diagnosing thyroid cancer:

  • Physical examination
  • Blood tests
  • Thyroid hormone levels
  • Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
  • Tg and TgAb
  • Medullary type-specific tests
  • Ultrasound
  • Biopsy
  • Fine needle aspiration
  • Surgical biopsy
  • Molecular testing of the nodule sample
  • Radionuclide scanning
  • X-ray
  • Computed tomography (CT) Scan
  • Positron emission tomography (PET) or PET-CT scan

Biospecimens

biospecimens

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.

Moreover, human biospecimens are available including tumor tissue, serum, plasma and PBMC Samples from most other therapeutic areas.

Furthermore, Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and likewise normal healthy donors for controls. Additionally, available in all formats and types.

In fact, our biobank procures and stores fully consented, de-identified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples, human biofluids such as serum samples, plasma samples from various diseases and matched controls.

Also, all our human tissue collections, human biospecimens and human biofluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.

In fact, this critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.

Additionally, researchers find the patient’s data associated with the human biospecimens extremely valuable and use it to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, as well as in other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and human biological samples, including fresh frozen human biospecimens cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.

For example fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as human serum, human plasma and human PBMCs.

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.

Please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.

Types of Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) and human bio-fluids from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:

  • Firstly, peripheral whole-blood
  • Secondly, amniotic fluid
  • Thirdly, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL)
  • Next, sputum
  • Also, pleural effusion
  • Moreover, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
  • Likewise, serum (sera)
  • In addition, plasma
  • Moreover, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) 
  • Furthermore, saliva
  • Next, buffy coat
  • Accordingly, urine
  • For example, stools samples
  • Also, aqueous humor
  • And, vitreous humor
  • Lastly, kidney stones (renal calculi)
  • Finally, other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer.

Moreover, we can also procure most human biospecimens and human biofluids, special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples and human biofluids are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.

In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human biofluids such as  human plasma, human serum, and human PBMCs bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols. you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us in multiple format and sets.

Bay Biosciences also provides human biospecimens from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, Contact us Now.