Question about last WBS. Cancer cells indicated in Breast and Sinus cavity.......

Hollyberry831

Hello I recently went through my 2nd body scan and RAI treatment last March. I had a few questions that maybe someone could give advice on I am sort of concerned yet the doctors are not.... I am 29 years old. I was diagnosed with Follicular Thyroid cancer at 27 the mass was a little bigger than a golf ball. I also had Papillary nodules and Hoshimotos as well. My last bodyscan indicated cancer cells in my Thyroid bed so I had RAI again. On my 3 body scan after my last dose of RAI they noticed uptake in my Sinus cavity and my right breast... Is this a reason to be concerned?? the doctors want to wait till my next body scan in 2010 to see if this was a fluke or reason for concern.. Well I am really worried to say the least it has been really stressing me out. My Endo seems to think it would be very rare for this to spread. But I have heard that Follicular Cancer can...... Should I be more aggressive with my Doctors or get a 3rd opinion??

JAWsSavannah

I don't blame you for being
I don't blame you for being concerned--follicular and papillary frequently spread to other parts of the body. Follicular also spreads into bones (mine was found in a rib before it was found in the thyroid). Currently I have tumors in both lungs, in lymph nodes near the lung, in the thyroid bed and in my spine.

Your doctors aren't in a big hurry because thyroid Ca is usually very slow growing, but I recently came across something (maybe my doctor told me) suggesting that when it appears in younger females it can be much more aggressive. Like you, I would not be comfortable waiting until next year.

What was your dose of RAI? I got 150mci the first time and 200 the second. When the second ablation showed little to no uptake I was told I needed something else. It sounds like yours is taking up so that's a good sign but if you are being given less than 100-150mci of I-131 it probably isn't enough.

Hollyberry831

JAWsSavannah said:

I don't blame you for being
I don't blame you for being concerned--follicular and papillary frequently spread to other parts of the body. Follicular also spreads into bones (mine was found in a rib before it was found in the thyroid). Currently I have tumors in both lungs, in lymph nodes near the lung, in the thyroid bed and in my spine.

Your doctors aren't in a big hurry because thyroid Ca is usually very slow growing, but I recently came across something (maybe my doctor told me) suggesting that when it appears in younger females it can be much more aggressive. Like you, I would not be comfortable waiting until next year.

What was your dose of RAI? I got 150mci the first time and 200 the second. When the second ablation showed little to no uptake I was told I needed something else. It sounds like yours is taking up so that's a good sign but if you are being given less than 100-150mci of I-131 it probably isn't enough.

200 mci the first time 150
200 mci the first time 150 mci the second time. I am going to bring up getting my body scan a little sooner at my next appt which is in November. Should I schedule and appt earlier??

JAWsSavannah

When you schedule the next
When you schedule the next scan should be something you are comfortable with. If you're getting more and more distressed during the wait push for ASAP. In my situation I actually got tired of scans that didn't show anything so I pushed for a delay, but during all this my Tg level was climbing. In hindsight I should have given more credence to the Tg numbers.

Thyroglobulin level is a very good marker showing the status of mets--if it is stable you can probably wait as long as the doctor wants you to. If it is climbing you should be pushing for treatments and/or scans. As long as your appointments include bloodwork to monitor Tg you can probably wait a long time with a stable or reducing Tg level.