Hi there. My Tg raised following TT & RAI. In a search trying to find the metastasis I had an ultrasound back in my neck area. I received the results today & says they located a 7x7x4mm lymph node which shows every indication of papillary carcinoma....But , "FNA & any form of biopsy must be ruled out as it lies immediately adjacent to the jugular vein & carotid artery."
My GP is saying it must be surgically removed ASAP. I'm really scared of the risks involved & wondering if anyone else had had this? Also this will be my 3rd major surgery this year (4 last year) & worried how much is too much?
Any advice would be great. I feel completely lost like my 'positivity balloon' just got punctured
In addition to this my GP today believes a mole I queried, is in his 'opinion very much likely to be a Melanoma. I obviously googled ThyCa & melanoma & the link is strong between the two...having it surgically removed first thing tmrw but for the first time since this all started last April I feel like I can not take anymore. I am more scared of melanoma then ThyCa but I'm so numb I didn't even blink....and why the hell didn't the PET or WBS pick up either? :0
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Rose2408
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Thank you Harry - I'm googling everything like crazy another sleepless night...I've been saying all day, jeez I'm lucky the mole is on the front of my so I could spot it & thank god they found the lymph node...but as night falls with my little one fast asleep relying on me, a pile of bills on my desk, more surgery, more RAI & now possibly chemo as well I just want to grab my bub and run away & not stop
Hi Rose, such a horrible time for you. So much on your plate. My Pap TC was metastatic and was removed in a similar location. In your case they may well be able to node pick and extract the lump or do a FNA to confirm but it can be an awkward spot to get to. You need the surgeons advise here as he/she will be able to let you know the direct risks and what is involved etc . I think you could potentially be scaring yourself with all the information on the internet too. The mind can play horrid games. We are all individuals even if we have the same cancer -a lot of the information is generalised. I really feel for you. In many ways I was lucky because I could not research my cancer as there was no internet so I had to 'trust' what the doctors were saying as that was all the information I had. Pm me at anytime and on a positive note...I had my main surgery nearly 25 years ago....Big Hugs xx
Thank you sorel! I appreciate your kind words of encouragement! My mind is racing...moving on to too many things! I still have a liver tumor, an adrenal gland tumor (next on list to remove) & lung nodules. My bodies not strong enough to fight it all I don't think FNA etc has already been ruled out because its too close. I just want someone to say its ok get these out & it's over then I'd be ok but I fear that's not the case. I just want to know what's going on with my poor body! I don't trust the doctors as I lost my appendix & gall bladder & got 26 'stab wounds' on my stomach from laproscopic surgery & exploration to see what was wrong with me...not one even considered Thyriod probs or cancer. And obviously it had spread via lymphatic & blood by the time it was accidentally found after a fall. I will hopefully see surgeon tmrw so ill know more then xx
Oh Rose sorry I mis- read your post thinking about the FNA and biopsy. You poor thing, my goodness you have really had a terrible time, are they saying that your liver, adrenal tumors are linked? No wonder you do not trust doctors but when it comes to what is going on with you and your body they are going to be the ones that help you out here...Thankfully you will see the surgeon tomorrow and question him about everything you need to...get a second opinion if you need to.....Where were the other operations? Big Hugs xx
I'm really sorry to read your post and note that your thyroid cancer may have moved to a lymph node. I had a partial thyroidectomy to remove follicular variant papillary thyroid cancer last year and I understand how hard it is for you to go through another decision like this. Obviously, the RAI didn't kill off all the cancer cells and this can happen, but papillary thyroid cancer is deemed the better one to have because it is treatable. The younger you are when papillary cancer is found the better the odds so hopefully having this lymph node removed and further RAI will kill off all the remaining cancer cells. Perhaps, you should discuss it in more detail with your endocrine surgeon to establish the risks of surgery due to where the cancer is and then make an informed choice without being rushed into things.
Good luck and if you need to PM me please do and I'll try to help.
Hi thyriodthora. Thank you for your msg! I'm praying it is papillary & not Hurthle Cell. They found both in my other lymph nodes - & even though its only small it's grown farly quick & wasn't picked up in other scans so maybe due to size or non-avid? Because they can't biopsy I wil have to wait...I was 46 when found but I had it at least 2 years before (I know since I regurgitated & was very sick). And either the amount of RAI (250) wasn't enough or it again was non avid but I desperately want it to just go & leave us alone - my little one has had such a rough life, her dad decided he was going to drink & became so violent we had to leave, lost nearly everything, constant surgeries. & now cancer..when does it end
It sounds like you've had it really rough of late. I was diagnosed last year when I was 49 and my surgeon estimated then that I'd had the cancer for at least 4 years but when I've looked at my health problems prior to this it would seem that I'd had the cancer for about 10 years. The past year has been rotten for me because not only have I lost my health but my job and then last month my mum passed away.
I think that it is very hard to spot the cancers of the thyroid because they are slow growing. Mine was contained within a calcified nodule and my CT scan found a nodule in my left lobe but when an ultrasound was done a few weeks later it had gone. The dr doing my ultrasound said that nodules can come and go and this might be what happened to you.
Are they doing the wait and see method of doctoring? I understand it would be hard to biopsy or do an FNA because of the location but is there anything they can do? Could they drain it?
One good thing is that you're not in a bad relationship and putting up with domestic violence. I grew up with it and my mother was very old fashioned and believed in standing by her marriage vows. My siblings and I had years of stress, anxiety and instability because of my dad's behaviour and it didn't stop until we were teenagers and my dad over stepped the mark and the rest of the family found out. My uncles gave him a taste of his medicine and put him in hospital. It was the only way because the police wouldn't do anything, and then the physical violence stopped but the mental taunting didn't. But at least my dad was sort of kept in check because he was frightened that my uncles would punch him again.
I don't know where you live but if it was local to me I'd come and give you a big hug. Instead I'm sending you lots of prayers and well wishes, and if you need to keep messaging then please do so. I might not reply straight away (tomorrow I'm looking after my baby grandson at his home and there isn't internet there) but I will reply.
Anyway, it's getting late and I need my shut eye. Take care and get as much rest as you can xx.
Thank you for sharing your story with me. It made me feel so much better - even though I had to get out (my little one was only 2 when we left) I feel better knowing that at least I saved her from years of torment but of course with cancer looming I feel inadequate that I am her sole carer, but that is life I know. I just feel sad that I bought her into this terrible mess we're in. She on the other hand is protected by innocence & being naive & all she knows is I'm the light of her life & is vertually oblivious! Thank you for the hugs!! I'm in Australia & the humidity is shocking ATM after the hysterectomy etc oh it's horrible!! Can't wait for the winter to come!!! Have fun with your grand baby !!! I think having little ones in your life is a blessing as there's no time to wallow! Put on a happy face & get on with it cxx
If it cannot be removed safely a larger dose of RAI might zap it. However that report was from a radiologist and sounds like they are saying don't do a FNA as its in an awkward place, but a careful surgeon might be able to easily dissect it out.
Thank you Soring! I'm actually just waiting to hear back from the surgeon to see if he can safely operate...there's so much surgically they can do now it's incredible! My cancer is non-avid so more RAI is likely to cause more harm then good. Xx
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