Chances of cancer recurrence?

[KLouviere]

I've been in remission for a year and a half. I am 15 years old now. I went for my yearly checkup. My TSH is at 17. My thyroglobulin is at 4.7. I have two enlarged lymph nodes in my thyroid bed. I have thyroid tissue growing back. (No thyroid, of course). What are my chances of the thyroid cancer being back? I am about to be on my diet for the whole body scan, but the wait is killing me. I just want to know what are my chances of it being back?

[shaws Administrator]

You are extremely young to have these worries, due to your thyroid gland. I only have hypothyroidism and you may not get an answer from the forum immediately from someone who has had the same problem as you as it is 1 a.m. So you may not get reassurance till later but I am sure you will get a response which will put your mind at rest.

I think it may be rare for the cancer to return after you've had the whole thyroid gland removed.

Best wishes.

[Clutter]

Thyroglobulin under 6 means the risk is slight, I think. I was told this after my WBS when I had slight uptake. Subsequently, it's been fine (I'm currently waiting on latest Tg).

I don't know how that may be affected by the nodules and tissue in the thryoid bed.

Can you contact your specialist or MacMillan nurse to talk through? They maybe able to allay your entirely justifiable fears.

I do hope it all goes well for you.

[behappy1]

I don't know the answer but just wanted to say try to say positive and very best of luck - wishing you good health x

[ThyroidThora]

Hi klouviere

I too had thyroid cancer and it was removed nearly a year ago. Are you on levothyroxine? You need to take this to suppress your TSH, it's much too high at 17, it needs to be much less than 1. This is needed to stop the cancer growing back. What type of thyroid cancer did you have? I am assuming you had rai treatment when your thyroid was removed and that your next scan is another follow up scan, or are you having another rai scan? Especially, as you mention your diet, are you starting a low iodine diet?

It's difficult not to worry but hopefully this is just a blip. If you need to PM me do so, I don't mind.

Take care and good luck.

[Hashi_since_age9-1988]

Firstly yearly checkups and a TSH of 17 suggest to me that the doctors are not looking after you adequately. As far as I am aware it is important after thyroid cancer to make sure that enough thyroxine is given to keep the TSH low so that the thyroid is not being stimulated by TSH. A low TSH is thought to prevent the recurrence of the cancer. Even without the cancer risk a TSH of 17 is not going to make you feel good and affect your performance at school etc. I hope they have suggested increasing your thyroxine. Perhaps you should think about changing doctor.