2Nd Surgery

Hi, everyone

First of all I would like to wish you all the very best in your struggle right now.  I am a concerned mom with a question regarding my son who was diagnosed with papillary cancer.

After having a single needle biopsy, ultrasound, CT scan and MRI which all didn't really show much of anything, finally was sent to a surgeon who removed a very large mass on one side of his neck.  While in doing the surgery it was found to be cancerous so part of the thyroid, one lobe, the isthmus and the lymph nodes on that side were all removed.  Cancer had spread to the clavicle.

Post-op he was told he would need to go back in and remove the rest of the thyroid before under going treatment.  My question is, did this happen to anyone else out there.  Obviously, it would have been better to have the whole thyroid removed at the time of the initial surgery, but the surgeon felt lets wait and see what the pathology comes back and tells us.

Concerned Mom 

 

 

I, too, had two separate surgeries.  My biopsy showed atypical cells but the pathologist was unable to determine whether it was benign or malignant.  Some surgeons will just remove the whole thyroid to avoid the possibility of having to go back in for a second surgery, but my surgeon said he didn't want to remove the whole thyroid unless it was malignant (and I agree - I prefer to keep my parts when possible).  During the surgery, they removed the right lobe and isthmus.  They looked at the nodule during surger and thought it was benign at the time, however, the next day, after further review, they determined it was cancer.  So the next day (just 2 days after the first surgery) they removed the rest of the thyroid.  I wasn't happy to have to go under the knife again, but wouldn't change the surgeon's approach because I wouldn't have wanted to lose my whole thyroid unnecessarily.

Best of luck to you and your son.

I'm noticing that if a 2nd surgery is required that it is done almost immediately.  My son is not yet scheduled for his and it will be two weeks tomorrow.  He dosen't go back to see his surgeon again for another two weeks, which we are told that is when it will be scheduled.  Should we be concerned about the waiting period.

 

Thank you for your response.  Have heard that it is best to do the 2nd surgery ASAP, do you know if this is true.  My son had his first surgery 2 wks. ago tomorrow and looks like he won't be having the 2nd for another 3 wks.

Concerned Mom

Hi!  I'm also so sorry to hear about your son.  I'm also on a wait and see status.  I had my total thyroid removed and there was lymph node involvement including a small 4 mm node in the clavical region.  The surgeon made the decision to wait to see what the pathology report revealed.  If it is the less aggressive form he feels it may be treated with alabation therapy which I'm slated to have, otherwise, I will also have to go back for a second surgery (in may case a more extensive procedure) and he mentioned this would take place in about 4 weeks.  My surgeon had a similar view, not to expose the patient to any more surgery than is necessary to treat but not compromise the prognosis.  It sounds as though they are on top of it.  Best of luck to your son!

 

On 8/5/2007 Leemg wrote:

Hi!  I'm also so sorry to hear about your son.  I'm also on a wait and see status.  I had my total thyroid removed and there was lymph node involvement including a small 4 mm node in the clavical region.  The surgeon made the decision to wait to see what the pathology report revealed.  If it is the less aggressive form he feels it may be treated with alabation therapy which I'm slated to have, otherwise, I will also have to go back for a second surgery (in may case a more extensive procedure) and he mentioned this would take place in about 4 weeks.  My surgeon had a similar view, not to expose the patient to any more surgery than is necessary to treat but not compromise the prognosis.  It sounds as though they are on top of it.  Best of luck to your son!

Leemg,

Thank you for the response.  I feel a little silly writing for my son, he is 27 yrs. old.  I'm sure he has been seeking comfort on the net too.  To know you are not alone and to hear the experiences others are going through helps to maintain a positive attitude.

May I ask how old are you?  Do you have a history of thyroid disease or cancer in your family.  It's disappointing to see how one can get something that dosen't run in the family or has ever been exposed to radiation.

If you don't mind can we keep in touch.  My personal email address is

--Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--

  I know you and my son have a long road ahead.  It will help me to see how well you do with your treatment and to know what to expect in weeks and months to come.

Lou 

 

 

 

On 8/5/2007 Leemg wrote:

Hi!  I'm also so sorry to hear about your son.  I'm also on a wait and see status.  I had my total thyroid removed and there was lymph node involvement including a small 4 mm node in the clavical region.  The surgeon made the decision to wait to see what the pathology report revealed.  If it is the less aggressive form he feels it may be treated with alabation therapy which I'm slated to have, otherwise, I will also have to go back for a second surgery (in may case a more extensive procedure) and he mentioned this would take place in about 4 weeks.  My surgeon had a similar view, not to expose the patient to any more surgery than is necessary to treat but not compromise the prognosis.  It sounds as though they are on top of it.  Best of luck to your son!

Leemg,

Thank you for the response.  I feel a little silly writing for my son, he is 27 yrs. old.  I'm sure he has been seeking comfort on the net too.  To know you are not alone and to hear the experiences others are going through helps to maintain a positive attitude.

May I ask how old are you?  Do you have a history of thyroid disease or cancer in your family.  It's disappointing to see how one can get something that dosen't run in the family or has ever been exposed to radiation.

Concerned Mom 

 

Hi Lou!  I'm so sorry to hear of your son's young age and dealing with all this.  I'm probably about your age or older, 58, and have two daughters, 31 and 24. It would kill me to know it was my daughters that had to go through this rather than myself.  I'm sure you feel the same so I certainly understand you concern.  Apparently, my mother has been on thyroid therapy for over 30 years for low thryoid function and actually I just learned that now but no thyroid cancer.  I was also diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in Sept. of 2003.  When I was 21, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma and went through extensive surgery, lymph node removal and grafting at that time with a long recovery.  Back then from what they knew removing large amounts of tissue and following up with numerous chest x-rays were what they did.  Whether the x-ray exposure which wasn't as refined back then had anything to do with any of this I'll never know.  I guess sometimes things just happen.  I was the first and only one since in my family to have BC and genetic testing came back negative for mutations, at least the ones they are aware of.  So I also understand how it is to be young and have this disruption in your life.  From what I understand the prognosis depends on several factors.  Visit: http://thyca.org.  This is a great site on thyroid cancer.  The type, how many nodules, the size, age, gender and whether confined to the thryoid are important prognostic values.  For example a young female under 40 with papillary thyroid cancer confined to one side of the thyroid has an excellent chance of cure and I work with a woman who had thyroid cancer in her late 20's who had a total thyroid removal and required ablation therapy and has had no problems other then tweaking her thyroid medication 20 years later.  Once your son's doctors have the pathology report they will be better able to address this regarding your son's particular situation.  From what I have read most young people have the most commonest form which is papillary and which also has the best cure rate.  So far two of the 6 nodules found in my case are papillary as well as the lymph node but because of my age there could be a more aggressive component so I just have to cross my fingers and pray for the best result and you will have to do the same.  Please let me know.  I feel that he will be fine. 

 

On 8/6/2007 Leemg wrote:

Hi Lou!  I'm so sorry to hear of your son's young age and dealing with all this.  I'm probably about your age or older, 58, and have two daughters, 31 and 24. It would kill me to know it was my daughters that had to go through this rather than myself.  I'm sure you feel the same so I certainly understand you concern.  Apparently, my mother has been on thyroid therapy for over 30 years for low thryoid function and actually I just learned that now but no thyroid cancer.  I was also diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in Sept. of 2003.  When I was 21, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma and went through extensive surgery, lymph node removal and grafting at that time with a long recovery.  Back then from what they knew removing large amounts of tissue and following up with numerous chest x-rays were what they did.  Whether the x-ray exposure which wasn't as refined back then had anything to do with any of this I'll never know.  I guess sometimes things just happen.  I was the first and only one since in my family to have BC and genetic testing came back negative for mutations, at least the ones they are aware of.  So I also understand how it is to be young and have this disruption in your life.  From what I understand the prognosis depends on several factors.  Visit: http://thyca.org.  This is a great site on thyroid cancer.  The type, how many nodules, the size, age, gender and whether confined to the thryoid are important prognostic values.  For example a young female under 40 with papillary thyroid cancer confined to one side of the thyroid has an excellent chance of cure and I work with a woman who had thyroid cancer in her late 20's who had a total thyroid removal and required ablation therapy and has had no problems other then tweaking her thyroid medication 20 years later.  Once your son's doctors have the pathology report they will be better able to address this regarding your son's particular situation.  From what I have read most young people have the most commonest form which is papillary and which also has the best cure rate.  So far two of the 6 nodules found in my case are papillary as well as the lymph node but because of my age there could be a more aggressive component so I just have to cross my fingers and pray for the best result and you will have to do the same.  Please let me know.  I feel that he will be fine. 

Always helps to hear about those that are post surgery and RAI and are doing well.  Right now just waiting for the 2nd surgery to remove the rest of the thyroid, the downside after, the diet then RAI.  Being he is a teacher we don't know what to expect regarding his ability to speak (voice is still very soft) this unknowing is the hardest part.

Keeping a positive attitude and hoping to get our prayers answered.  The very best to you and your struggle.

Lou

 

On 8/5/2007 Leemg wrote:

Hi!  I'm also so sorry to hear about your son.  I'm also on a wait and see status.  I had my total thyroid removed and there was lymph node involvement including a small 4 mm node in the clavical region.  The surgeon made the decision to wait to see what the pathology report revealed.  If it is the less aggressive form he feels it may be treated with alabation therapy which I'm slated to have, otherwise, I will also have to go back for a second surgery (in may case a more extensive procedure) and he mentioned this would take place in about 4 weeks.  My surgeon had a similar view, not to expose the patient to any more surgery than is necessary to treat but not compromise the prognosis.  It sounds as though they are on top of it.  Best of luck to your son!

Lee,

Found your message and noticed it has been awhile was wondering how you are doing.  I know you were waiting for your pathology, hopefully no bad news.  Will you be going back in for another surgery?

My son is still on the waiting mode, was just seen for his 1 mth. follow-up and the voice is still not full range.  His doctor is waiting for that before going back in to remove the remainder of the thyroid.  He assures us that Tom (my son) is not in any danger by waiting.  In a way it's nice to not have to be going through the pre RAI stuff and after, but we know that's in the very near future.

Lou