Referral to a specialist for symptoms of thyroid cancer

Your GP should arrange for you to see a specialist if you have symptoms that could be due to thyroid cancer. Depending on your symptoms and other factors, this might be an urgent referral.

They might refer you to a thyroid specialist (endocrinologist) or a surgeon (Ears Nose Throat surgeon).

You will see a specialist as soon as possible. Ask your GP when this is likely to be.

Seeing your GP

It can be hard for GPs to decide who may have cancer and who might have a more minor condition. Sometimes, your doctor may ask you to wait to see if the symptoms get better or respond to treatment such as antibiotics.

Ask your GP when you are likely to get an appointment.

UK referral guidelines

There are guidelines for GPs to help them decide who needs a referral. These vary slightly between the different UK nations. Your GP will use these guidelines as well as their own experience and judgement.

England and Wales

Your GP should offer you an appointment to see a cancer specialist urgently if you have a lump in your thyroid that can't be explained.

Scotland

Your GP should refer adults to a specialist if you have a single lump (nodule) in your thyroid that is increasing in size. They should refer a child or teenager aged 16 years or younger if they have a swelling in their thyroid.

The GP should refer you if have a swelling in your thyroid and you have one or more of the following. You:

• have had radiotherapy to your neck
• have a family history of cancer of the endocrine system such as thyroid, pancreatic, or parathyroid cancer
• have changes to your voice (hoarseness) that can't be explained
• have swollen lymph glands at the base of your neck

Northern Ireland

Your GP should refer you immediately if you have symptoms caused by a blockage or narrowing of the airway. This includes noisy breathing (stridor ) due to swelling in your thyroid.

Your GP should refer you urgently to a specialist if you have a swelling in your thyroid and you:

• have a single lump (nodule) in your thyroid that is increasing in size
• have had radiotherapy to your neck
• have a family history of cancer of the endocrine system such as thyroid, pancreatic, or parathyroid cancer
• have changes to your voice (hoarseness) that can't be explained
• have swollen lymph glands at the base of your neck
• are a child (who hasn't been through puberty), or you are age 65 or older

If you're still worried

If you're worried that your GP isn't taking your symptoms seriously, you could print this page and take it to an appointment.

Ask your GP to talk it through with you. Then you may be able to decide together whether you need to see a specialist.

Things to remember

It is important to remember that:

• thyroid lumps are very common but only 5 in 100 are cancerous
• thyroid cancer is rare
• thyroid cancer is more common in women

What should I do if I don’t get my appointment?

If your GP has referred you, ask them when you should get your appointment. Contact them again if you don’t get one. Or some hospitals have a referral service you could try contacting if you know which hospital you are going to. Explain that you are waiting for an urgent suspected cancer referral.

Waiting times

Your hospital is working towards waiting time targets. For example, a target to find out whether you have cancer or not. And there are targets to start treatment if you are diagnosed with cancer. These are slightly different depending on where you live in the UK.

When you see a specialist

Your specialist will ask about your medical history and symptoms. They examine you including your neck area.

If your GP hasn't already taken blood for thyroid tests, they will do blood tests. This is to check your thyroid hormone levels and to see if the blood contains particular proteins called thyroid antibodies. These blood tests also show whether you have a normal, over active or under active thyroid. 

Then your specialist will arrange other tests in the outpatient department.