Suspicious for papillary cancer -- comments??

[GoofyDad]

I had a nodule discovered by my PCP. The Endo said that whatever type of nodule it was (I didn't pay a great deal of attention to the name - fluid filled I think was the key attribute), these are almost always benign. He was shocked to see the patho report come back 'suspicious'. Now  I'm slated for a partial thyroidectomy, and they will do a 'frozen section' on the table, and depending on what they find there, they'll go further if waranted.

From my brief reading here, it sounds like this protocol is standard and virtually carved in stone. Would there be any significant value at this point in having the slide read by another pathologist?

What do I have to look forward to as far as recovery and adjusting to the synthroid? Reading here it sounds like no cake walk. I live alone, but with my 9 y/o son half the time. Will I manage for myself OK when first home from the hospital? Back to work in a week or so?

Is it true that this cancer can almost always be managed successfully? I'm becoming very leary of that 'almost always' bit at this point.

Thanks for your insights!  

[GoofyDad]

Thanks for your input everybody. Glad to have found you folks.  

[utahmomma]

Everyone is different.   Some lose weight, others gain it.  Many suffer from thinning bones.  Fatigue is common.  There is a chance (at least a lot of us have experienced this) of having glucose problems.  For many of us you can kiss the libido good bye too.

However, it all beats allowing cancer to spread.

[GoofyDad]

Thanks for your comments. One more question, what are the long term implications of living without the thyroid? It must do more that just crank out a measured amount of the hormones that synthroid, etc. replace. Right?

[utahmomma]

Adjusting to the meds is, as you've put it, no cake walk but it beats the alternative!  :-)

The surgery isn't bad at all.  I liked it so much I had it twice.  That being said, since you are a male (higher risk) and your nodule is already suspicious can I *please* suggest that you talk to the surgeon about getting the entire thing out?   They found my cancer after I was already in recovery and I had to go back a year later to get the rest of the gland removed.  If there's even a chance of it being cancer, you can't have the treatment if there is still thyroid tissue remaining.  

For both of my surgeries I was only in the hospital over night.  I had the surgeries on Thursdays, was released on Fridays, and back to work on Monday both times.   I also had kids at home and it wasn't a problem.   A 9-year old wouldn't be a problem (an infant would be a different story but you don't have to lift a 9 year old).

The management/treatment for papillary and follicular carcinoma is pretty cool (considering it's cancer treatment).  Both of those types of cancer, like the thyroid tissue they originate from, absorb iodine.  They radiate iodine and flood your body with it.  The iodine "seeks and destroys" any remaining thyroid tissue/cancer.  Very effective.  No "chemo", no "external beam radiation" - just a whole-body nuke.

*If* it comes to that, there are lots of us here who can help you with that too.

Anyway, one day at a time but, seriously, consider having the entire thing removed.

Best of everything

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03 (followup surgery '04)
recurrence and RAI '06 and probably '08
three sisters with papillary carcinoma (one with three recurrences/RAI)
one sister with precancerous nodules
daughter with precancerous nodules.

[tracim]

I am not a doctor, but 13 years ago I had a nodule on my thyroid and it was suspicious also.  It turned out to be benign. My mom had a nodule too, that they said they could not tell if suspicious or benign. Turned out benign.  I have heard it is hard to tell. I do not think that getting a second opinion ever hurts. Can they do some kind of thyroid scan to tell if it is a hot or cold nodule (I do not know if this would do anything or not). Again, I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  I can tell you that I had a total thyroidectomy and was out for about a week. They wanted to give me pain pills but they just made me loopy. As far as adjusting to Synthroid. I did not have any problems until recently after 13 years when my TSH really started coming out of balance. All I can say is if you proceed with the surgery and you have to have Synthroid medication, be persistent. If you have headaches or different symptoms that were not there before you had the surgery, these could be from the synthroid. You may have to find a couple of doctors that will listen but I am sure everything will work out for the best.  Unfortuntely, when you hear that there could be a possibility of cancer, it is always scary and in the long run if it was cancer, it is better out than in.  Good luck with everything!!