Possible Thyroid Cancer!? HELP!

Hormones
1

Hello,

This is my first post here, I need help understanding what is it that I have.

Ok some basic details about myself:

- 19 year old Male

- I have mild asthma that is well controlled

- My father pasted away from Melonoma cancer 

  Ok, in September I discovered a lump on my neck (not in the center off to the left) and it bothered me while swallowing (not in a painful way, it just felt awkward) so I went to see my family doctor. He thought it was a thyro-glossal cyst but wasn't sure as most are always in the center of the neck. He sent me to a ENT specialist. My first visit, the ENT specialist thought it was some sort of cyst so he performed a fine-needle biospy to drain the fluid and take it for testing. As soon as he drained it and took the fluid out he told me immediately that it was benign judging off the fluid. I was relieved until later...

I went back a month later to do a follow up appointment to discuss what it was. He told me upon testing, they are not sure what it was. He suggested I had surgery to remove it. So a month later (Dec 30th). I went in for a surgery that was supposed to be 20-30 mins but took just over and hour to complete. He told me that it was more complex and deeper then they thought it was and it had "fingers to it" so they had to follow it to remove. He fully removed the "Cyst." A couple of stressful weeks later, I go in for a follow up to see how the healing was doing and to find out what I had. He told me they are not sure what it is so they sent it to another hospital to do lab testing as well. Upon further testing, they found a few cancer cells. He suggested I went for a ct-scan on my neck to see where they came from. 

I was devestated. A week later I went for my Ct-scan and the results came in a couple of days after. The ENT specialist called me saying my Ct-scan is normal and everything is fine!!! Then.... two days later he called back explaining to me they found "a little spot." HE said its so small they are not sure how to treat it. So he reffered me to a second ENT specialist who I will be seeing next week to discuss treatment options if any.

Anways after all this, do I have cancer or do I not?!?!? I'm so confused and I really stressed out!!

Any replies would be appreciated thanks.

 

2

Ok Jesse don't panic.

Was the 'cyst' on your thyroid or just in your neck? Have you had any thyroid symptoms? Not that you definitely would have thyroid symptoms. I'm assuming they did TFTs when you 1st went to GP.

It could be an early cancer???

I had a hemi thyroidectomy in 2015 as the FNA on my MNG came back F3 (in layman' s terms the findings are 1 to 5, 1 definitely benign, 5 definitely cancer) so bang in the middle! Neither one or the other!

They took the left lobe of the thyroid & 1 lymph node. The largest nodule was sent for exam. If benign no further action, if cancer the other lobe removed too. Opinion was divided on whether it was cancer, the nodule was sent to an expert for analysis. This time it came back as Follicular Carcinoma.

Now I'm telling you this as it isn't necessarily something to send you into a tailspin. It may be very, very early stage cancer if at all. (At its earliest stage it is very difficult to tell cancer from certain 'normal' cells). At a stage where they can treat you & eradicated it, as mine was. I still have regular check ups with the Oncologist but things are good.

At least your surgeon is sending you on to an expert who will hopefully put your mind to rest.

I don't suppose next week can come quick enough. Try not to worry, it does nothing to help & just makes you feel sooo bad.

I hope all will be well, but just remember this if it is cancer it is very very early. Cancer caught early shouldn't be a big problem.

Let me know how you get on next week. I will be thinking of you.

Take care

Marilyn

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3

Thanks for the response Marilyn!

The "Cyst" was on my thyroid. Also I'm not sure but I've had Hyperthyroidism symptoms but neither by Family doctor or Specialist have talked about that. I'm just somewhat relieved that what I've found appears to be very small so if it is somesort of cancer atleast it's at a very early stage. Still none the less, it's pretty stressful.

Could you talk more about your hemi-thyroidectomy? Are you on medication where you take pills to replenish your thyroid hormones or??

Also how was the procedure?

I'm just wondering because I'm suspicious that this could be a possible treatment option for me.

I go see the new specialist one week today to discuss my ct scans and what my options are, will let you know how it goes.

All the best,

Jesse

4

Hi Jesse

Sorry about the delay in responding but have had a 24 hour bug!

Yes, I am on Levothyroxine as I do not have my thyroid now, so have to have replacement. I found it took quite a while to acclimatise to it but fine now.

Thyroidectomy whether hemi or complete is a fairly standard operation to ENT surgeons. It takes about 45 mins & is done under General Anaesthetic. It's usually an overnight stay in hospital. I found it not too painful, just a bit uncomfortable, as you have a dressing at the base of your neck which has to remain dry until the stitches are removed. I found the waiting ALL day to have the op worse than the op itself! Had to be in the hospital, fasted, at 8am & finally went down to Anaesthetics at 6.45. Got back to the ward at 9.30 pm!

With thyroid cancer they usually treat with thyroidectomy followed by thyroid ablation using Radio-iodine. I couldn't have the Radio-iodine as I had Thyroid Eye Disease. The iodine could restart the TED. I think in some cases they can treat the cancer with Radioiodine without thyroidectomy but don't quote me on that! It will do the same thing without the operation.

Thyroid cancer esp if one of the Differentiated Thyroid Cancers is slow growing & less likely to spread than, say, breast cancer. So you wouldn't have Chemotherapy at all & not necessarily Radiotherapy. Radio-iodine is not like radiotherapy as you would be given a drink which contains Iodine with a Radioactive Isotope, as it is targeted to destroy any Thyroid cells remaining. It would be done at hospital in the Nuclear Medicine Dept & would be measured using a formula that takes into account your height & body weight. That's it! You will have to avoid pregnant women & I believe babies & small children for a while.

Then you would need to take thyroxine. As I said I couldn't have the radioiodine so have to take high dose thyroxine, which along with the complete removal of the thyroid is all the treatment I've had. I am checked, now, every 6 months by my Endocrinologist, & every 6 months by my Oncologist. So roughly every 3 months it's blood test & check up. It'll be 2 years in April since diagnosis.

They may want to do a radio scan on the cyst to map it out, or not depending on the doctor. That again is swallowing a radioactive isotope. It doesn't take long, it isn't painful & gives the surgeons such a lot more detail. They had to measure my dose really carefully because of the TED as once again they use iodine as it goes straight to the thyroid but the radiation is not to destroy just to show up on scan.

I hope I have answered your questions to your satisfaction. Sorry it's long winded but there is a lot that MAY be useful to you.

Please try not to stress too much, I know what it's like when you have the possibility of cancer hanging over you. Let's hope it isn't cancer!

Just get back to me if you have any other questions or just want a chat. I may take time to reply but always will eventually!

All the very best

Marilyn

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5

Thanks for the reply once again.

I go to the specialist on Thursday so I'll let you know what happens. The first specialist said that the area they found is very small and they are not sure how to treat it, that's if I need treatment in the first place. Thing is, If they decide to do nothing about it, I'll be a bit disappointed as I just don't want to leave it, I want to do something about!

Anyways, thanks for the information, it was very useful!

I will update you after I meet with the second specialist.

Best,

Jesse

6

Hi Jesse

Know what you mean about wanting it dealt with. I just wanted the MNG GONE, I did not care about anything else, just wanted rid of it!

Good luck with the specialist

Marilyn

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7

Hey Marilyn,

I got some great news today at the specialist. Pretty much he said, the cyst I had contained cancer. He said I had like a micro cancer. But he said the surgery I had a couple of months ago removed it so I'm cured. He did a ultra sound on my neck to verify his statements and all was good. All I have to do is go get a Ultra sound in a year to check on it. Anyways hope all is well!

Best,

Jesse

8

Oh Jesse I am so pleased for you. You can breathe again now.

All the best for the future

Marilyn

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9

I have the same thing with the lump in my neck they are saying I have adenoma on the thyroid I am currently waiting for the MDT team to see what they are going to do

10

Ah well at least adenoma is benign, you just need to find out what the team plan for you.

Try not to worry unduly, they won't resort to surgery unless necessary & if they don't you will be monitored.

I hope all is well with you.

Marilyn

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