Papillary Ca of Thyroid

[jtstudent2010]

My dad is 67 and he was diagnosed with a 4by 3 cm thyroid nodule. He s going for total thyroidectomy and some of the lymph nodes will be removed..notably the left supraclavicular node 0.9 by 0.3 or something. scheduled for dec 15th 2010.Recently the chest ct my dad took after his heart surgery a few months ago showed a opacity in the lung. hes going for a repeat x ray tomorow. I d like to know whats the rate of mortality for him. if the opacity turns out to be a neoplasm.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

There are also clinical trials (research) for chemotherapy protocols for patients with lung metastases that do not take up I-131 and are enlarging.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Would still go for surgery for thyroid and any neck lymph nodes first.
Then I-131 (radioactive iodine) after surgery - if the lung spot takes up I-131, then we know it's thyroid cancer metastasis.  50% or more survival at 5 years in a 67 year old male with PTC to lung.

If the spot does not take up I-131, sometimes biopsy is required to determine what it is.
PET scanning may be helpful.
Occassionally, if solitary lung nodule/metastasis, it can be removed.

[jtstudent2010]

And what would be our treatment options at that point