Help Me Understand!

My husband has just been diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer (I think that's what the doctor called it).  Anybody know what that is?  Surgery is scheduled for next month; the surgeon mentioned "thyroidectomy", but we have no idea how much he will be removing.  He also scheduled a left neck dissection -- anybody know what that's like?  Also, we live in Buffalo, NY and the surgeon is at Roswell - has anybody been treated there?  How was it, as a hospital?  Does anybody know how we get information from the doctors?  (He's only there one day a week, they told us, except for when he's in surgery.)

 

On 6/20/2008 RiverarrowPs46 wrote:

My husband has just been diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer (I think that's what the doctor called it).  Anybody know what that is?  Surgery is scheduled for next month; the surgeon mentioned "thyroidectomy", but we have no idea how much he will be removing.  He also scheduled a left neck dissection -- anybody know what that's like?  Also, we live in Buffalo, NY and the surgeon is at Roswell - has anybody been treated there?  How was it, as a hospital?  Does anybody know how we get information from the doctors?  (He's only there one day a week, they told us, except for when he's in surgery.)

Metastasized thyroid cancer means they believe it has spread outside of the thyroid.  It's a hard thing to prove without surgery and/or a body scan.  A thyroidectomy is the removal of both sides of the thyroid.  Whenever cancer is present, the entire thyroid will be removed even if it is found to be on only one side.  A neck dissection has been talked about alot on this board, but I personally have not had one, so will not attempt to interrpret it for you.  I'm sure someone who has had it will eventually respond to you.  I know there are several patients from the NY area, so hopefully they can help you  with the hospital and doctors.  You need to study as much as you can so you are well versed in the cancer and know all of the options open to your husband.  There are pretty set procedures in place for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer.  The good thing to know is that it is very very rarely a deadly cancer.  It has an outstanding cure rate.  You may want to read back in time on all of the posts on this board.  They are filled with information,

Best of luck

I have had a total thyroidectory and left neck dissection in 2007. I had an experienced head and neck surgeon in Philadelphia. He saved my laryngeal nerve so I never lost my voice, was careful not to damage my parathryoid glands so I never became low in calcium. They should take many lymph nodes and not just berry pick. If the cancer is outside the thyroid (metastized). The one thing I strongly suggest is to do physical therapy even before the surgery. I practiced my exercises many times/day and never lost any ROM (range of motion) in the left arm. I can raise my arm above my head and never had any swelling. Get as much information as you can. Write your questions down to ask the surgeon and the rest of the team. (nuclear medicine, endocrinologist)It seems very overwhelming now, but things do fall into place and become clearer. Good Luck!

i had a total neck desection in june of 05. i was also fited with a trach. it is important for the doc to look everywhere. i had swelling and stiffness but overall i didnt have alot of pain . the scar and staples in my neck looked worse then it felt. do the excersies .it will help.  stay on top of you r treatment/information. read , read, and read some more. the more you do the better you will understand and feel.

Thank you to everyone who has answered so far.  I appreciate every response.