Swelling
Papillary carcinoma may sometimes present as a large cystic swelling located in the neck region or deep within the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Multiple swellings in the neck are more commonly seen in papillary as compared to the follicular variety of thyroid carcinomas. Follicular carcinoma features swelling in one of the lobes of the thyroid gland. In other cases of carcinoma, patients have a lump in the neck, while in anaplastic carcinoma, they have a rather diffuse swelling that rapidly increases in size. Initially, it causes swelling of one lobe of thyroid laterally, but later it involves the whole gland.