A full-page ad in a recent Time magazine, paid for by the Light of Light Foundation, recommends that you ask your doctor to check your neck for thyroid nodules — abnormal growths that form a lump in the thyroid gland. In fact, thyroid nodules have become the most common endocrine diagnosis in the United States, with thyroid cancer now being the fastest growing cancer diagnosis in the country.
Few thyroid nodules produce any symptoms, so people will usually only find them by chance. Far more often, they will be detected by your doctor during a routine physical exam or by an imaging study (ultrasound, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance scan) that is looking at some other condition in the head or neck.
The likelihood of a thyroid nodule being cancerous is greater in those who are less than 20 years old or who are older than 70. The risk of this cancer is also higher in individuals who had undergone radiation of the head and neck, once a common treatment for acne.
Full article here:
What’s the Fastest Growing Cancer Diagnosis in U.S.? on Yahoo! Health
Always a good idea to have a thorough examination done atleast once a year. Leave nothing to chance, it pays to be patient (no pun intended) and spend a little extra time.