What is considered "slow growing"

nilla2.5
nilla2.5 Member Posts: 5
in Thyroid Cancer #1
I had a CAT scan for a separate issue May 31st and was told I have a lump on my thyroid. Went to my regular doctor 2 days later, had an ultrasound 4 days later and was set up with an endo and had my first biopsy by the end of 2 weeks. That all happened so fast. The biopsy came back inconclusive. They scheduled another with the help of ultrasound but I had to wait a month. They said it was ok because thyroid cancer is slow growing. It came back follicular neoplasm and although they say I have a 30% chance of it being malignant there's still no hurry. It took a month to see the surgeon. During the wait my lymph nodes in my neck on the same side as the tumor have become enlarged and antibiotics didn't make their swelling go away. Still there was no rush and I am being told that there's nothing to worry about, it's slow growing, it doesn't normally spread to lymph nodes, and my CAT scan 4 months ago didn't show anything abnormal re:lymph nodes. Is it possible that since it's "slow growing" they could have missed the window of opportunity to catch it before it spreads. How do they know when it started? Can you tell by the size how long it's been growing? My tumor is 2.5cm and I am scheduled to have my right lobe removed this wednesday.

Comments

  • iggymurphy
    iggymurphy Member Posts: 34
    #2
    No. I had a biopsy 3 weeks
    No. I had a biopsy 3 weeks ago and my thyroid out on Friday. My node was 1.2 and cancerous. Three lymphnodes were taken out and also cancerous (even though normal in ultrasound ). Push to get things moving. Chances are its not cancer but its your health so don't wait. Why are they only taking one lobe?
  • nilla2.5
    nilla2.5 Member Posts: 5
    #3
    iggymurphy said:

    No. I had a biopsy 3 weeks
    No. I had a biopsy 3 weeks ago and my thyroid out on Friday. My node was 1.2 and cancerous. Three lymphnodes were taken out and also cancerous (even though normal in ultrasound ). Push to get things moving. Chances are its not cancer but its your health so don't wait. Why are they only taking one lobe?

    I only have the one lump on
    I only have the one lump on the right side. They say they would rather do two surgeries than take the whole thyroid just in case it's benign.
  • CherylMike
    CherylMike Member Posts: 118
    #4
    nilla2.5 said:

    I only have the one lump on
    I only have the one lump on the right side. They say they would rather do two surgeries than take the whole thyroid just in case it's benign.

    Scheduled to remove one side
    I had a FNB which was benign. However, my ENT said that he had a hard time with the biopsy because the node was so calcified. He did not trust the results and scheduled me to remove the left side of my thyroid, but told me that while I was under, they would look at the pathology of the tumor. When I woke up, they had removed my entire thyroid as the tumor was papillary thyroid cancer. Not only that, I had a cancerous node on the right side which was larger then the left side tumor. It was not detected on the ultrasound.
  • nilla2.5
    nilla2.5 Member Posts: 5
    #5
    CherylMike said:

    Scheduled to remove one side
    I had a FNB which was benign. However, my ENT said that he had a hard time with the biopsy because the node was so calcified. He did not trust the results and scheduled me to remove the left side of my thyroid, but told me that while I was under, they would look at the pathology of the tumor. When I woke up, they had removed my entire thyroid as the tumor was papillary thyroid cancer. Not only that, I had a cancerous node on the right side which was larger then the left side tumor. It was not detected on the ultrasound.

    Surgery yesterday went well.
    Surgery yesterday went well. Although i started to cry when i saw how long my insicion was.... in my head 3-5 inches was more like 3 inches or less. Hear what you want to hear i guess. I find out benign or malignant on the 13th. They had a difficult time getting around my parathyroid on the side that was removed, so if they have to go in for the other side he says he'll have to try harder to preserve my left one. Looking forward to getting the drain tube out tomorrow.
    CherylMike, that must have been difficult to wake up to. You are very lucky to have a doctor so proactive. My surgeon is nice, but very conservative.
  • bkane101
    bkane101 Member Posts: 35
    #6
    nilla2.5 said:

    Surgery yesterday went well.
    Surgery yesterday went well. Although i started to cry when i saw how long my insicion was.... in my head 3-5 inches was more like 3 inches or less. Hear what you want to hear i guess. I find out benign or malignant on the 13th. They had a difficult time getting around my parathyroid on the side that was removed, so if they have to go in for the other side he says he'll have to try harder to preserve my left one. Looking forward to getting the drain tube out tomorrow.
    CherylMike, that must have been difficult to wake up to. You are very lucky to have a doctor so proactive. My surgeon is nice, but very conservative.

    Nilla,
    Glad your surgery
    Nilla,

    Glad your surgery went well. I was also wondering what slow growing means. I had 4 tumors on my thyroid, 1 larger than 1 cm and the other 3 were all under. But the cancer had spread to 3 out of 10 of the lymphnodes that they removed on the left side, and after my scan they found cancer on the left side lymphnodes too. So if I have all this spread so much I wonder how long I've lived with this?! My neighbor 10 years ago went to the doctor for a lump in her throat and her doctor said not to worry about it because she would die before it would kill her and she was in her mid 40's. I would've got a 2nd opinion on that one!

    I also wonder why some people have big cuts and drainage tubes and some don't. Sounds like you have a long cut. I had my entire thyroid removed along with 10 lymphnodes and my scar is only an inch and no tubes at all. Did I just have a great surgeon? I don't know how he was able to work in such a small space for 4 hours!

    I hope your results are non-cancerous!
    Barbara
  • iggymurphy
    iggymurphy Member Posts: 34
    #7
    nilla2.5 said:

    Surgery yesterday went well.
    Surgery yesterday went well. Although i started to cry when i saw how long my insicion was.... in my head 3-5 inches was more like 3 inches or less. Hear what you want to hear i guess. I find out benign or malignant on the 13th. They had a difficult time getting around my parathyroid on the side that was removed, so if they have to go in for the other side he says he'll have to try harder to preserve my left one. Looking forward to getting the drain tube out tomorrow.
    CherylMike, that must have been difficult to wake up to. You are very lucky to have a doctor so proactive. My surgeon is nice, but very conservative.

    scar fades quick
    I had my surgery 8 days ago and it already looks much better. From what I hear it will fade almost completely in two years. A friend of mine whom has gone through this used mederma on his scar and I can't even see it! I am picking some up tomorrow. My scar is also closer to 5 in and they kept the drain in for 3 days....good luck with everything!
  • sunnyaz
    sunnyaz Member Posts: 582
    #8
    iggymurphy said:

    scar fades quick
    I had my surgery 8 days ago and it already looks much better. From what I hear it will fade almost completely in two years. A friend of mine whom has gone through this used mederma on his scar and I can't even see it! I am picking some up tomorrow. My scar is also closer to 5 in and they kept the drain in for 3 days....good luck with everything!

    Scars
    I have had three surgeries. My incision went from the left side of my throat (about half and inch) all the way to the base of my right ear. It is almost undetectable now. The center scar was opened all three times so it's a bit more visible, but it continues to disappear. I use Maderma also and I massage it regularly. Massage also helps with getting some of the feeling back on that side of my neck and jaw area.

    I had a drain tube for my first and second surgery but I did not on my third. My new Surgeon doesn't use drain tubes because he believes that they serve no purpose. In his words they are "old style". I was happy because the second surgery drain tube incision almost killed me. He accidentally cut my outer Jugular vein and I almost bleed to death.

    Hang in there everyone, this is going to get better for you soon.

    Blessings,
    Julie-SunnyAZ
  • nilla2.5
    nilla2.5 Member Posts: 5
    #9
    iggymurphy said:

    scar fades quick
    I had my surgery 8 days ago and it already looks much better. From what I hear it will fade almost completely in two years. A friend of mine whom has gone through this used mederma on his scar and I can't even see it! I am picking some up tomorrow. My scar is also closer to 5 in and they kept the drain in for 3 days....good luck with everything!

    iggymurphy... so glad you
    iggymurphy... so glad you wrote, i was trying to remember the name of the scar ointment yesterday and was drawing a complete blank. I will be getting some mederma on my way home from getting the drain tube removed.
  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 11
    #10
    nilla2.5 said:

    iggymurphy... so glad you
    iggymurphy... so glad you wrote, i was trying to remember the name of the scar ointment yesterday and was drawing a complete blank. I will be getting some mederma on my way home from getting the drain tube removed.

    Wait with Mederma
    Please don't put Merderma on an open wound. It works on the scar after the skin has closed.
  • sunnyaz
    sunnyaz Member Posts: 582
    #11
    ceanna said:

    Wait with Mederma
    Please don't put Merderma on an open wound. It works on the scar after the skin has closed.

    Oh Yes
    Yes, wait about two to three weeks before using the Maderma. Until then you can use antibiotic ointment. That works pretty well also.
    Julie-SunnyAZ

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