Does Tumor size have any bearing on cancer spread?

[shannon828]

I don't have a consult with a surgeon until 3/31 and my mind is going crazy with all these worst case scenarios about my cancer spreading, etc.  My tumor is between 1-1.5cm and was detected in November.  Does anyone who had a similar sized tumor have the cancer in their lymph nodes, elsewhere in the neck or distant mets?  I have a friend whose tumor was 4cm and hers was completely contained in her thyroid.  I have no idea how I am going to make it until 3/31...Thanks all!

[whittie918]

They could NOT tell at all by US of the spread.  It was a bit of a post surgical surprise that nearly caused my mom to pass out.  It was on the inside/back part of the thyroid that backed up to the Trach so I suppose that was the problem.  My doctor who ordered the ultrasound actually told me to wait a year and get re tested and gave me the 95% stats, blah, blah, blah.  I forced the issue.  Called endo after endo until I found one who would see me without my primarys referral.  Lucky I did, thank goodness!

[CatieC]

"I could never feel either of my nodules but my Prim. Care Doc picked one of them up on a routine office physical visit!"

I couldn't either until my primary doctor found it on a routine visit and actually took my finger and said, "see, here it is". Since then I've felt that bugger countless times.

shannon828, hang in there... I will write an after-surgery post.

[nissah46]

I think it has more to do with the lengh of time it has been there than the size. I had 5 growths, the largest being 4.8cm.  The doctor said they had been there for a while in order to be that big.Mine had spread to the lymph nodes so I had a dose of 200mci for the RAI. Good luck, I know the waiting is hard.

[shannon828]

Utah:  Thanks for the link and info.  I gave birth to my daughter at BIDMC, so I find it rather fitting I'll be having this taken care of there as well.  Obviously surgery is no fun, but I just can't wait to get this thing taken out (even though I know it's really only the beginning of this journey)

Whittie:  Ugh.  Such a small nodule causing so many problems!  Isn't it funny how they keep giving us these stats that are supposed to comfort us, but then we keep making it into the 5% that aren't covered by hem?  Were they able to tell anything from your u/s prior to your surgery about spread?  Or did you just find out after the surgery the extent of the spread?

Catie:  Best of luck on your surgery on Tuesday!!!  Please let us know how everything goes and how you're feeling!

ChitChat:  Yeah, never noticed the sucker in my neck either and a shot of alarm went through my body when my OB said "I think I feel something".  I just knew that couldn't be good, but the "stats" kept me in a holding pattern of "routine visits" for four months (nodule found in November, FNA done in March).  It's very aggravating to be told nothing is wrong with you for four months and not to worry and then have your Endo call and say you have cancer!  Um...hello?

Thanks all for your responses.  Ultimately, I just have to wait and see what happens hope all goes well with my surgery.

[ChitChatNine]

Good point on the u/s .. my actual vs. ultrasound varied by half a centimeter .. it was actually smaller than the ultrasound .. they say this is normal as ultrasound isn't as exact as seeing the real thing.   I compare it to the weight of an unborn baby inutero .. it varies by quite a bit and is only an estimate.

I could never feel either of my nodules but my Prim. Care Doc picked one of them up on a routine office physical visit!

Cheryl

[CatieC]

I can't help with your question on size. But I do know what you're feeling. My surgery is this Tuesday and the aniexty is building with each day. No matter what I do to keep myself busy, my thoughts always stray to my thyroid and that nodule.  My US said the nodule was 1 cm and the biopsy report said it was 2 cm. So I don't know how big the darn thing is. And I find myself feeling my neck to see if I could figure it out.

I know one more week seems like a long time, but you have gotten this far. With each passing day, you get closer to having this all behind you. I know for myself that I always find strengh when I need it. And you will too. Good Luck!

[whittie918]

I'm not going to help at all here but mine was detected at 3mm, 6 months later it was 15mm, entirely spread throughout the thyroid left and right sides with no clean borders and attached to the trachea and in one lymph node by the time they had surgery done.  I was told I was a very  unusual for a Paiollary Carcinoma case as my neck area is very small and it really had nowhere else to go.  

I'd still call them every week to see if you can get in earlier.  On a good note, I'm fine now.

[utahmomma]

If you are under 45 (and from a quick glimpse at your profile, looks like you are), then the size doesn't affect the  diagnosis much unless it is over 2cm.  They will look inside your thyroid bed and your lymph nodes and see if there is any spread.

Here's the information that I'm citing regarding thyroid cancer staging:  http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_thyroid_cancer_staged_43.asp

As has been said, the type of thyroid cancer and whether or not it is detected in the lymph nodes matters.

I've heard wonderful things at Beth Israel - way to find a great thyroid team!


Best of everything with your surgery!

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03   recurrence and RAI '06 and possibly '08
three sisters with papillary carcinoma (one with Stage II and three recurrences)
other sister and 16-year old daughter with precancerous thyroid

[shannon828]

The results of my FNA showed "suspicious for papillary cancer" on one of the five slides.  My Endo recommended TT and I am consulting with a surgeon on 3/31 who is part of the "Thyroid Center" at Beth Israel in Boston, Dr. Peter Mowschenson.  It is a part of the Hospital where that is all they do- Thyroid Surgery, so I feel pretty confident having my TT done there.

Thank you for your well wishes :)

[stella5349]

You need to find out the type of thyroid cancer first before anything.  papillary carcinoma is Dx the majority of the time. This is (if any is) the best senerio. It usually stays pretty close and doesn't spread hardly at all. - and it is very slow growing.

I would still be concerned - but if you have a good surgeon and doctor you should be able to rest better.

Good Luck

[shannon828]

OK, good to know.  Like I said, my friend had a 4cm removed and it was fully contained in the thyroid and she is doing her second RAI treatment in a month or so.  Are they able to tell anything about spread pre-TT?  Or do they just go in and find what they find once they have you on the table?

[ChitChatNine]

Over 1.0cm I *think* is of more concern .. mine were tiny 0.4mm and 5.0mm and fully encapsulated and no lymph node involvement.

C~

[redhed87]

I don't know if the size matters.  My tumor was 2.6cm and it was in two lymph nodes.  Because the size and the cancer being in lymph nodes, I had to have RAI..  Good luck.