how slow growing is thyroid cancer?

[zebady]

I cant find info on this ANYWHERE and my endo had no answer for me either.... and the question is this.

Roughly how long would it take for 3 3cm stage 3 papillary cancers to grow in the thyroid, iv got a referral to the national psychosis unit for a possible change in diagnosis, schizophrenia to thyroid psychosis, links to empirical studies would as well as experience/opinion would be useful, also does any one know if you can feel 'off' for a while before the cancer grows and if so for how long?

Thanks for your reply's in advance and i hope your enjoying the weather as much as me. Michael.

[Clutter]

Mikepassword,

I recall reading that after the Fukishima nuclear radioactivity that it was estimated that a 2-3cm tumour would take 3-5 years to develop.

Thyroid cancer is generally thought to be asymptomatic other than perhaps consciousness of a lump in the throat or hoarse voice and perhaps breathlessness if the tumour is pressing on the trachea.

I had a feeling of a lump in my throat more than 20 years before I had thyCa. As there was no palpable lump (a palpable nodule being >1cm usually) it was suggested I had Globus Sensation. It was a lump appearing in my neck overnight which sent me to the GP although I had been unwell for months with a mixture of hyper and hypo symptoms. My thyroid levels were euthyroid but TPOab was positive for Hashimoto's and it was this making me feel so unwell although doctors were insistant symptoms were non-thyroidal as thyroid levels were euthyroid.

[zebady in reply to Clutter]

Thank you very much, a professor told me that he 'had patients like you (me) diagnosed with schitzophrenia for 20 years, i have removed their thyroid , and i have given appropiate treatment and they have been cured!'. Thats what he said, the time difference between onset of my first psychosis and these lumps was 12 years. I just wonder how many if any cases of thyroid psychosis they see. Also whilst i have your ear do you know the statistical chance of a man getting thyroid cancer eg is it 1 in 250,000 for instance.

[Clutter in reply to zebady]

Mikepassword,

I'm not good at working out odds. The likelihood of a thyroid nodule being malignant is around 5% and I think there is a greater preponderance of women than men in that 5%.

I know psychosis can be caused by untreated hypothyroidism but I'm not aware that there is a link between psychosis and thyCa.

[ellj]

Sorry can't help with your question but wanted to say all the best for treatment.

Ell

[zebady in reply to ellj]

Thankyou Ell, thats very kind of you.

[nightingale-56]

I can't help with much information zebady , but just wanted to wish you well and hope you manage to find some good Consultants.

[zebady in reply to nightingale-56]

thankyou j_bee, thats very sweet, me too! thankyou.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

mikepassword,

You might find something here:

endocrineweb.com/conditions...

The weather has been lovely - really feels like the outdoors have opened up for business again. And the tea rooms.

[zebady in reply to helvella]

Thankyou, i wish you all the energy to keep up with a booming business, thanks for your time in replying. michael