Surgery

[sabie]

My surgery is schedued for April 6th to remove a 1.3 cm nodule which is cancerous (Papillary Carcinoma).  My question is what are the chances of the cancer spreading and to what parts of the body does it normally spread to?

I have been having abdominal pain and I am just scared that the cancer could have spread..

[utahmomma]

I'm sorry you are going through cancer surgery but you have tons of experience and advice here.  Welcome to the thyroid cancer survivor's club!  :-)

Here's some great links on papillary carcinoma:
http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyroidca.html
http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/staging.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/thyroid-cancer

Papillary carcinoma is a very slow growing cancer.  *If* it spreads (and it often doesn't) typically papillary (and follicular) carcinoma spreads to the lymph nodes of the neck/upper chest, lungs, etc.

Read up on what we call RAI (I-131 or radio-iodine therapy) - your doctors will probably prescribe this for you following your surgery.

Hang in there - prognosis is GOOD and you have tons of love and support here!


Utah

(papillary carcinoma 11/03)
three sisters with papillary carcinoma
one sister and daughter precancerous

[spuds65]

Hey, there.  I had my 1.5 cm nodule removed on 2/8. Once they had it out, it only measured 1.0, so don't be alarmed by the measurement just yet. Typically, they presume papillary (from the shape, and because it is the most common type of thyroid cancer), but they will not know for certain until surgery.  They will probably remove the affected lobe, do a frozen slice path. test while you are still in surgery,  which will determine definitively if it is papillary.  If the pathologist thinks it still looks like cancer at this point, he notifies the surgeon.  My doctor and I had previously agreed that unless the pathologists believed it was not cancerous, he would then remove the other half of the thyroid because I had two other smaller nodules on the other side.  The other types of cancer are usually not definitely identified until the final pathology results in 2-3 days.The good news is that both papillary and follicular  carcinomas are very slow-growing, and are considered to be curable cancer, which rarely require external radiation (beamed) or chemo.  It is a good idea to tell your doctor about your stomach pain, and the RAI will give you peace of mind when you can see all of the places the radioactive iodine does NOT settle (it only goes where there are thyroid cells, i.e., thryoid cancer that has spread)  Hope this helps!

[venora]

I echo spuds and utahmomma.Thyroiod cancer is sooo treatableI just did the RAI and there was nothing to it.I took my pill and went home I am in isolation now till I dont "glow so much"
Adn the surgery is a comparativly easy surgery to go thorugh unless you have a substernal goiter like I did and they have to open your sternum to get it out.
Read all you can aks anything you want here on this forum.I have learned the most from the folks here.
Love Venora

[miansa]

Has anyone had surgery for multiple nodules? I have three, all small (approx. 1 cm) and two were biopsied and found to have the presence of papillary carcinoma. My endocrinologist said they will want to perform a thyroidectomy as a result and that it's very treatable. Has anyone else had a similar situation?

[utahmomma]

I sent you a note in response.