scared for mom

shanksstephanie5490

My mother is actually my topic of concern. She was diagnosed a few years ago with thyroid cancer. We took out her thyroid and she underwent the iodine treatment. Cancer markers have been good since, but three months ago, she suffered a bowel perforation as a complication from a spinal fusion surgery. She was septic for two days before they found the perf. We fought a battle for the last three months with harsh antibiotics, several trips to the ER with colitis, a blood clot, and some other complications. 

Long story short, her health has been very compromised lately. In a recent CT, a 4 mm nodule was found in her lower left lung. She did almost have pneumonia after her initial surgery that we suffered complications from, but I know this is a common recurrence site for thyroid cancer survivors. I have tried doing some research for stats on recurrences and treatments of those recurrences. Problem is, no case is quite like this. We haven't had the best of luck, so it is hard for me to remain positive. Any feedback/stats/reassurance I could get would be helpful.

Please help and thank you to all!!!!!

 

Stephanie

alapah

concerns

Hi Stephanie,

Do you know what her most recent Tg (thyroglobulin) number is? (That is the marker). If it's zero or close to zero or has not changed recently then the nodule on the CT may have nothing to do with thyca. It's pretty small, maybe too small to biopsy but I'm not sure about that. What do her doctors think it may be, or be caused by? Have you discussed this with them?

I think it's a leap to connect it with thyca, particularly if her current bloodwork (Tg) is good. I'm not an expert but do have lung nodules myself. My Tg has risen as they've grown, which I think is as it would likely be. 

Many a lung nodule is benign if that helps. Be sure to keep up discussions with your mom and her medical team. 

eileen

Baldy

Lung nodule

Stephanie,

I was told by a pulmonologist (lung specialist) that lung metastasis from thyroid cancer would most likely not be one nodule.  A CT I had 2 years ago showed a 7mm nodule in my lung that after 3 more CTs over 2 years showed no sign of growth.  It was during the conversation about this nodule that she told me this.  She didn't think a single nodule would be the result of thyca metastasis, she thought it might be something else but was most likely nothing at all.

Find a pulmonologist with experience with thyca lung mets, take your Mom to see him and ask him this same question.  I'm just some guy on the internet, what I'm saying may not apply to your Mom or I may have got it wrong.

Alan

candid

my thoughts are with you and

my thoughts are with you and your mom.

candid