What is a normal,slow, or fast growth rate of Thyroid Tumors

[bluestarmom187]

Does anyone know where to find information about thyroid tumor growth rates? For example: if a tumor was 4.6 cm but grew to 5.5 cm in two months, is that considered normal, slow or is it considered fast growing?

[pep88]

Do you have your pathology report?  I'm no pathologist, but couldn't it be that you have cancer in a nodule that is sharing space with, and filling at a fast pace with harmless cystic fluid?  Maybe 898 will weigh in.  And if you can get a copy of that path report, post it.

I'm still waiting on replys from several government agencies about your case as well as teaching hospitals.  If all else fails, I live across the street from an ENT surgeon who does this surgery all day long and I'm not above asking him for help with your case.  Hang in there.  And if you could, could you send me a PM with your city?  It would make this just a bit easier.

[stella5349]

That seems a bit fast in growth

Pep88 sounds like she may have the right idea.

How have you determined this "nodule" has grown so fast? Did you have two reports done with in two months?

Please post your results off the reports.

[bluestarmom187]

Went to WSU two days ago to a new doctor. Explained the systems that I was having, nausa, headaches..ect and that I thought that my nodes were growing fast. We did a blood test to see if I had turned hypo but those came back  in normal range but had changed from the sept. test:

Now                     In Sept.
TSH=1.417              .84
T4 = .9                    1.1

White Blood = 14.52

This doctor acted like I was crazy about the growth because he said that with my DX  (Follicular derived neoplasm suspicious for papillary thyroid carcinoma arising in a back ground of Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis) that this is a slow growing tumor and if in fact I was correct then it would be an anaplastic cancer. I had already went to the other doctor a month ago who said it was spreading, but this new doctor had not examined my neck two months ago, so...he really could not confirm so we did an ultrasound yesturday to confirm if it is growing as fast as I am tring to tell him. I new this size of 2 of the 5 nodes taht I have. The two that were FNA ( 1= 1.9cm / 1= 4.6cm ) in Oct. I asked the ultrasound person to tell me the size of those two nodes now and she said that they were now 2.2cm and 5.5cm and that the 5.5 was over the complete thyroid gland.
WSU said that they will do my surgey with no money up front so.....seeing how this doctor thinks that I will choke to death without the surgery then even if it is anaplastic cancer I need to go through with surgery. This doctor will receive the ultrasound pic's in the next couple of days and will call me.

When my blood test came back normal..I almost cried....I know that I am not crazy and that something is making me feel like Sh*t. I am glade that the ultrasound at least shows that I am not crazy about these things growing so fast but the down side is that this fast growth may indicate the anaplastic cancer. So I just wanted to get an idea of what is considered normal, slow and fast growth just to prepare myself for that phone call. I can not find anything on the internet about this. The one article I did find would not let me read it unless I purchased it &*&*&*&*. Everything cost money!

[Smilerdeb]

My impression would be that if the cancer was anaplastic cancer then Surgery would be done straight away.
When was you first found to have cancer?
How long ago?

[bluestarmom187]

The knot came up on my neck in Sept.08- I told the doctor that it came up fast. I knew that because we had been measuring my neck to determine body fat % and in a two week time frame it went from 13.75" to 15.00". But that doctor told me I was crazy and that the knot had been growing over a long period of time.
The FNA results came back in the 1st part of Oct. 08. Two months ago. And yes..my doctor wanted surgery right away but I wanted more testing so I had to find another doctor who would at least talk to me more about this thing. This new doctor is doing just that. So that he could see the rate of growth we did the 2nd ultrasound but he has not gotten it to review.

I would like to find out what the normal, fast slow, growth rates are if anyone knows or if you can tell me any experiences with growth rates.

[Smilerdeb]

Everyone is different.
I wouldnt be asking how fast or slow the growth rates are.
I would be asking a Surgeon to get it out asap.
As your Doctor already informed you....if not treated you will choke to death.
One way or the other, you have no choice.

[bluestarmom187]

That's odd...the 1st doctor told me that the cancer would kill me before I would choke to death...it is this new doctor who is saying that I will choke to death before the cancer kills me. Either way....It looks like I just need to bite the $50,000 bullet and get it done.
I was hoping that this would be a slow growing kinda thing...but does not look that way.

[bluestarmom187]

I knew that this thing was bad from the get go and my reason for delaying surgery is to confirm if the FNA was correct but my other doctor would not order another FNA so I got mad and started looking for another doctor. In my mind if I am right on how fast this thing is spreading then it is anaplastic cancer and I only have a 2% chance of making it. If that is the case then why spend $50,000 . But as I am finding out...no matter what I have to go under the knife. This doctor at least said that I could have a (treck)sp put in instead....I like that he is open to options..but my husband veto'd that.LOL

Anyway..just wondering if anyone has had there knots grow this fast. 4.6 to a 5.5

[Smilerdeb]

I like life too much so killed my thyroid then had it removed.