Definition for Thyroid gland
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The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ that weighs about 1 oz and is located at the front of the neck, below the Adam's apple. The thyroid is an endocrine gland that secretes hormones in the blood, and circulates them to all the tissues of the body, where they control vital functions in every cell. The thyroid gland is also prone to autoimmune insults that can cause a variety of diseases. Like every other organ in the body, the thyroid can form benign or cancerous nodules.
Together with the thyroid hormones, the thyroid gland releases a protein called thyroglobulin, in the blood. This protein is also secreted by certain types of cancer and is used as a cancer marker to determine how much tumor remains in the body. Monitoring this thyroid protein is one way to remain vigilant against certain types of disease.