Follicular thyroid cancer is a more common type of thyroid cancer in women who are over 50 years old. Follicular thyroid cancer differs from papillary thyroid cancer in that it tends to metastasize to bones and lungs by the bloodstream, while the latter more often metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes (lymph nodes in the neck).

Treatment for follicular thyroid cancer typically involves surgery, followed up by radioiodine. As it is aggressive, hemithyroidectomy is not commonly performed. A total thyroidectomy (removal of the whole thyroid) is almost always the surgical treatment when papillary thyroid cancer is diagnosed.

Other thyroid cancers include:

Anaplastic cancer

Lymphoma

Medullary cancer

Papillary cancer

Additionally, there are non-cancerous thyroid adenoma tumors.