Thyroid Cancer that spread into lungs

124

Comments

  • sophiadonald
    sophiadonald Member Posts: 1
    Joey Atlas Reviews

    The cancer is still in my lungs and slowly growing. Yet, they say, it has to grow more before they can biopsy the nodules. I am so frustrated.

    Joey Atlas Reviews

  • MONEL
    MONEL Member Posts: 3
    THYROID CANCER STAGE IV

    Veronica,

    My husband has Poorly Differeniated Thyroid Cancer.  We have been battling this since last July.  He had his Thyroid out, Vocal Cord and several lymph nodes.   They did not care about his lungs @ first until they got worse.  He is also on Nexavar.  Hopefully, it will keep the desease under control.

    Keep up the fight.

     

  • MONEL
    MONEL Member Posts: 3
    Hannah1 said:

    Lung Metastasis
    I also just found out my thyroid has metastasize to both my lungs. Just finished RAI 6/13/12 and post full body
    scan 6/21/12. Don't know yet if the RAI worked or not. Will see my Dr. This Thursday. Does anybody know
    How long does it takes to have symptoms of shortness of breath after diagnosis?

    cancer

    My husband still is short of breath.  His tumors on his lung started to bleed.  His lung collapsed.

    They went in and finally stopped the bleeding after they tried twice to drain the blood.  He had drains in his chest and lung.

    Good luck

     

  • MONEL
    MONEL Member Posts: 3
    Bob48 said:

    Lung Nodules
    I always found the phrase."The best cancer to have" offensive. The word best and cancer do not belong together.Yes, you should be concerned about your lung nodules. Not necessarily worried but concerned. Both the number and size of your lung nodules are important. There is no way to predict how fast these nodules will grow or whether they will increase in number. There are people with lung mets. who are still alive 20 years later and others that are not. Your Dr. will watch your Tg levels and probably do a CT scan every 6 months. This will let him know how you are doing. If the nodules stay small they will do nothing as there is nothing to be done.They call it "watchful waiting" If they do start to interfere with lung function or become more aggressive they will then treat you.

    It is important to find the correct dosage for your thyroid medication and also to use the same MFG. Even the same dosage but made by different MFG'S will effect both how you feel and your TSH levels. What medication are you taking, dosage and who makes it? Good luck and keep in touch.

    Your saying you could live

    Your saying you could live with Thryroid lung cancer for a considerable time? 

  • miladyx
    miladyx Member Posts: 85
    MONEL said:

    THYROID CANCER STAGE IV

    Veronica,

    My husband has Poorly Differeniated Thyroid Cancer.  We have been battling this since last July.  He had his Thyroid out, Vocal Cord and several lymph nodes.   They did not care about his lungs @ first until they got worse.  He is also on Nexavar.  Hopefully, it will keep the desease under control.

    Keep up the fight.

     

    how old

    is your husband MONEL?

  • rachela38
    rachela38 Member Posts: 1

    Thank you lynn
    Thank you lynn. I am glad your scans are showing well now. I understand your fears, and surely, follow your instincts. I recently had a lung biopsy which proved that the same cancer is still growing in my lungs. Now, I'm about to start a cancer pill soon. I'm nervous about it. But, I know I must. You take care too, and God bless you.

    Symptoms with lung mets

    Did or do any of you experience symptoms from the lung mets?

  • Rav4
    Rav4 Member Posts: 3
    uvrosbur said:

    Thyroid Cancer in Lungs and where next

    I have thyroid cancer that has spread to my lungs. It took a lung surgery to get a piece of it to figure out what kind of cancer I have. First, let me describe what is in my lungs. I have 2 golf ball size tumors in my left lung, with roughly 15 marble size tumors scattered through my lungs. We discussed the partial removal of my left lung, but went with I-131 first. So below are my Thyroglobulan measurements.

    This was in August 2011. In Sept 2011 I had my thyroid removed. In November 2011 I had my first 200 MC dose of I-131. Then in June 2012 I has a second 200 MC dose of I-131. My Thyroglobulan levels were as such. In Oct 2011, my level was 186, in April 2012, my level was 110, in November 2012 my level was 53. This all sounds good and I was looking forward to a last dose with the hope that it would kill the cancer off.

    So, in February 2013, my Thyroglobulan level was 159. I figured that there was a mistake in the lab, and that it really was 59. Today I got the results of yesterdays test, and I am now at 223.5. Naturally this isn't what I was hoping for. We are now looking at targeted clinical trial therapies. Over the past few months, I have had a lot of aching in my arms that hasn't made sense. I have heard that there are rare cases that the thyroid cancer would spread to the bones. My current prayers is that this isn't the case, but for my thyroglobulan levels to go up so drastically tells me that the cancer has spread somewhere else.

    Oh, I forgot to note, that back in May 2012, I had a radio frequency ablation done to the two golf ball sized tumors in my left lung. This is where they stick probes through your back into the tumors (while in a CAT Scan machine) and basically cook to kill the tumors.

    I read where others have Thyroglobulan levels of 5 or 7, or some other number that is low, and wonder what level of cancer I have. I am currently researching clinical trials trying to find out what trial would have a TKI type of therapy that could help my situation.

    Final note, I am a 52 year old male, non smoker, non drinker.

     

     

    lungs

    Hi,

     

    How are you doing.  My husband has lung nodules too that are from his thyroid cancer.

  • Rav4
    Rav4 Member Posts: 3
    Hannah1 said:

    Lung mets
    Hi Bob48, thank you for responding. I am taking one day at a time enjoying each day.
    Its just too frustrating when you see your labs again elevated. TG now 215 three months
    ago was 168. I don't have symptoms yet. I will have repeat Pet/ Ct sometime in January
    at stanford and hoping it didn't grow. Thank you again and god bless. Keep in touch.

    How are you?

    We are going through the same thing with my husband.

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    Time limit confusion?

    I was dosed this morning Jan 2,  at 10:30 with what they said was a low dose of Radioactive Iodine. My complete thyroid was removed Dec 5th.

    My concern is my family. I have my little dog away, large dog fenced in house away from me.

    I asked if I should use a mask and rubber gloves around house, workng on my lap top and was told no, it dies off in a day or two.

    I sent my son to his girlfriends, he's in college.

    My boyfriend is not staying here for the next couple of days.

    When can I have any type of contact with my boyfriend? A single hug will do.

    I requested a note to return to work on monday because I was originally told 3 days isolation, now they are telling me I need to continue to stay away from pregnant women and children , for how long??? And how long on staying away from my boyfriend?

    Help, lorena

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    MONEL said:

    THYROID CANCER STAGE IV

    Veronica,

    My husband has Poorly Differeniated Thyroid Cancer.  We have been battling this since last July.  He had his Thyroid out, Vocal Cord and several lymph nodes.   They did not care about his lungs @ first until they got worse.  He is also on Nexavar.  Hopefully, it will keep the desease under control.

    Keep up the fight.

     

    KEEP ASKING

    Write down your concenrs, I was so nervois I forgot, left without getting a return to work note.

    Keep asking until you get answers!!! I have a great group here in Fl, and they call me with answers.

    I just for got a few questions today... ; )  Thinking positive!!!

    Lorena.

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12

    Joey Atlas Reviews

    The cancer is still in my lungs and slowly growing. Yet, they say, it has to grow more before they can biopsy the nodules. I am so frustrated.

    Joey Atlas Reviews

    GET ANOTHER OPINION!

    As an RN, I would run to get another opinion!!! Better be safe than sorry... Best of luck. Lorena

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    Hannah1 said:

    Lung Metastasis
    I also just found out my thyroid has metastasize to both my lungs. Just finished RAI 6/13/12 and post full body
    scan 6/21/12. Don't know yet if the RAI worked or not. Will see my Dr. This Thursday. Does anybody know
    How long does it takes to have symptoms of shortness of breath after diagnosis?

    What stage

    What stage was your thyroid cancer, how long did you have it? Was it calcified nodules? They are usually encapulasted.

    I have rarely hear of thyroid cancer going to the lungs, this must have been going on for some time.????

    I certainly would demand treatment for the lung nodules.

    My family physician has me take pharmaceutical grade antioxidants that can fight cancer. one is from grapes, one from broccoli.

    I certainly would get another opinion, you cannot sit around letting your lungs be ignored.

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    Hannah1 said:

    Lung Metastasis
    I also just found out my thyroid has metastasize to both my lungs. Just finished RAI 6/13/12 and post full body
    scan 6/21/12. Don't know yet if the RAI worked or not. Will see my Dr. This Thursday. Does anybody know
    How long does it takes to have symptoms of shortness of breath after diagnosis?

    What stage

    What stage was your thyroid cancer, how long did you have it? Was it calcified nodules? They are usually encapulasted.

    I have rarely hear of thyroid cancer going to the lungs, this must have been going on for some time.????

    I certainly would demand treatment for the lung nodules.

    My family physician has me take pharmaceutical grade antioxidants that can fight cancer. one is from grapes, one from broccoli.

    I certainly would get another opinion, you cannot sit around letting your lungs be ignored.

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    Hannah1 said:

    Lung Metastasis
    I also just found out my thyroid has metastasize to both my lungs. Just finished RAI 6/13/12 and post full body
    scan 6/21/12. Don't know yet if the RAI worked or not. Will see my Dr. This Thursday. Does anybody know
    How long does it takes to have symptoms of shortness of breath after diagnosis?

    What stage

    What stage was your thyroid cancer, how long did you have it? Was it calcified nodules? They are usually encapulasted.

    I have rarely hear of thyroid cancer going to the lungs, this must have been going on for some time.????

    I certainly would demand treatment for the lung nodules.

    My family physician has me take pharmaceutical grade antioxidants that can fight cancer. one is from grapes, one from broccoli.

    I certainly would get another opinion, you cannot sit around letting your lungs be ignored.

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    Hmolson said:

    Symptoms of lung mets?

    Are there any symptoms associated with lung metastasis? I had a thyroidectomy on 12/10/12 (small PTC) and am scheduled for RAI and body scan in a few weeks.  Have been "sick" with terrible cold/hacking cough for most of the last year...Seriously, 9 months of the last year.  Sometimes coughing fits until I choke or throw up (no blood).  Might just have low resistance, but have been worried about lung mets since diagnosis.  GP says "probably an allergy".  Never had allergies in my life.  

    Get a chest x ray, then a lung scan, do not mess around waiting.

    WTH are they waiting for???? I see many law suits here, people you have to be your own advocates!!!

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    Hmolson said:

    Symptoms of lung mets?

    Are there any symptoms associated with lung metastasis? I had a thyroidectomy on 12/10/12 (small PTC) and am scheduled for RAI and body scan in a few weeks.  Have been "sick" with terrible cold/hacking cough for most of the last year...Seriously, 9 months of the last year.  Sometimes coughing fits until I choke or throw up (no blood).  Might just have low resistance, but have been worried about lung mets since diagnosis.  GP says "probably an allergy".  Never had allergies in my life.  

    Get a chest x ray, then a lung scan, do not mess around waiting.

    WTH are they waiting for???? I see many law suits here, people you have to be your own advocates!!!

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    uvrosbur said:

    Thyroid Cancer in Lungs and where next

    I have thyroid cancer that has spread to my lungs. It took a lung surgery to get a piece of it to figure out what kind of cancer I have. First, let me describe what is in my lungs. I have 2 golf ball size tumors in my left lung, with roughly 15 marble size tumors scattered through my lungs. We discussed the partial removal of my left lung, but went with I-131 first. So below are my Thyroglobulan measurements.

    This was in August 2011. In Sept 2011 I had my thyroid removed. In November 2011 I had my first 200 MC dose of I-131. Then in June 2012 I has a second 200 MC dose of I-131. My Thyroglobulan levels were as such. In Oct 2011, my level was 186, in April 2012, my level was 110, in November 2012 my level was 53. This all sounds good and I was looking forward to a last dose with the hope that it would kill the cancer off.

    So, in February 2013, my Thyroglobulan level was 159. I figured that there was a mistake in the lab, and that it really was 59. Today I got the results of yesterdays test, and I am now at 223.5. Naturally this isn't what I was hoping for. We are now looking at targeted clinical trial therapies. Over the past few months, I have had a lot of aching in my arms that hasn't made sense. I have heard that there are rare cases that the thyroid cancer would spread to the bones. My current prayers is that this isn't the case, but for my thyroglobulan levels to go up so drastically tells me that the cancer has spread somewhere else.

    Oh, I forgot to note, that back in May 2012, I had a radio frequency ablation done to the two golf ball sized tumors in my left lung. This is where they stick probes through your back into the tumors (while in a CAT Scan machine) and basically cook to kill the tumors.

    I read where others have Thyroglobulan levels of 5 or 7, or some other number that is low, and wonder what level of cancer I have. I am currently researching clinical trials trying to find out what trial would have a TKI type of therapy that could help my situation.

    Final note, I am a 52 year old male, non smoker, non drinker.

     

     

    Don't sit idle!

    You must PUSH, PUSH and no delays.. be your own advocate! Best of luck!!!

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12
    uvrosbur said:

    Thyroid Cancer in Lungs and where next

    I have thyroid cancer that has spread to my lungs. It took a lung surgery to get a piece of it to figure out what kind of cancer I have. First, let me describe what is in my lungs. I have 2 golf ball size tumors in my left lung, with roughly 15 marble size tumors scattered through my lungs. We discussed the partial removal of my left lung, but went with I-131 first. So below are my Thyroglobulan measurements.

    This was in August 2011. In Sept 2011 I had my thyroid removed. In November 2011 I had my first 200 MC dose of I-131. Then in June 2012 I has a second 200 MC dose of I-131. My Thyroglobulan levels were as such. In Oct 2011, my level was 186, in April 2012, my level was 110, in November 2012 my level was 53. This all sounds good and I was looking forward to a last dose with the hope that it would kill the cancer off.

    So, in February 2013, my Thyroglobulan level was 159. I figured that there was a mistake in the lab, and that it really was 59. Today I got the results of yesterdays test, and I am now at 223.5. Naturally this isn't what I was hoping for. We are now looking at targeted clinical trial therapies. Over the past few months, I have had a lot of aching in my arms that hasn't made sense. I have heard that there are rare cases that the thyroid cancer would spread to the bones. My current prayers is that this isn't the case, but for my thyroglobulan levels to go up so drastically tells me that the cancer has spread somewhere else.

    Oh, I forgot to note, that back in May 2012, I had a radio frequency ablation done to the two golf ball sized tumors in my left lung. This is where they stick probes through your back into the tumors (while in a CAT Scan machine) and basically cook to kill the tumors.

    I read where others have Thyroglobulan levels of 5 or 7, or some other number that is low, and wonder what level of cancer I have. I am currently researching clinical trials trying to find out what trial would have a TKI type of therapy that could help my situation.

    Final note, I am a 52 year old male, non smoker, non drinker.

     

     

    Don't sit idle!

    You must PUSH, PUSH and no delays.. be your own advocate! Best of luck!!!

  • LorenaRN
    LorenaRN Member Posts: 12

    hi
    hi Tom.....i'am a thyroid cancer patient diagnosed 2 months ago sept. and august this yaear i am 41 years old...i m need some advice from people who been there....
    thanks

    Tyhroid Cancer as well

    Hi, I had thyroid nodules 15 yrs ago on my left side. They followed them for 1 1/2 yrs, then did a biopsy that was inconcluisive. So they took the left side out and said it was benign. Life went on.

    I had a MRI of my neck after a car accident May 2013 and there was an incidental finding of multiple nodules on the right lobe. I did not panick, figured they were most likely benign like the left side.

    WRONG, I had a untrasound in Aug. then Biopsy in Sept. and sure enough Papillary thyroid cancer two nodules.

    I just had the completion of the thyroidectomy on Dec. 5th, I had to be on an Iodine free diet until my TSH level hit 30, which took 3 weeks. The doctor said he could not find any lymph nodes in the area so he did not remove any to biopsy. So, I though there were lymph nodes all over the neck naturally. I guess not until they pop up from something.

    I took the Radioactive Iodine I-131 on Jan. 2nd, I am in isolation at home staying away from my pets and college age son, and my boyfriend.

    I am able to retun to work on Monday the 6th, as long as I stay away from pregnent women and children which is fine as I work in my own office in a law firm.

    My next step is a full body scan and the Dr. states that he expects the uptake of the iodine to be in my thyroid area. Everything he told me so far has been acurate. Sore glands under my jaws, sore around where the right thyroid was, and dry throat. I had a headache 24 hours and a little nausea yesterday but today I feel good. I still am tender in my salivary glands, so he said suck on a lot of hard candy and drink a ton of fluids to flush out the I-131.

    He said I would be sore in the places where there was remaining thyroid tissue after surgery and he was correct. he said my salivary glands would be sore and he was correct.

    So far everything they have told me has beeen right on target. I am in Orlando and feel I am in very capable hands.

    I do the full body scan in 2 weeks, and pray that there is nothing that has spread. but if there had been thyroid cells that had spread  I would be feeling pain right now while the Radioactive Iodine was killing off the cells.

    I had a chest x ray pre-op and that was OK.

    Everything seems to be going OK.

    I feel positive and I think this type of cancer can be beat, and with little chance of reoccurance when caught early.

    I wish you the best, and I hope I could be of some help to you.

    Are you scheduled for surgery?

    Best of luck,

    Lorena

  • Williamryan
    Williamryan Member Posts: 37
    LorenaRN said:

    Time limit confusion?

    I was dosed this morning Jan 2,  at 10:30 with what they said was a low dose of Radioactive Iodine. My complete thyroid was removed Dec 5th.

    My concern is my family. I have my little dog away, large dog fenced in house away from me.

    I asked if I should use a mask and rubber gloves around house, workng on my lap top and was told no, it dies off in a day or two.

    I sent my son to his girlfriends, he's in college.

    My boyfriend is not staying here for the next couple of days.

    When can I have any type of contact with my boyfriend? A single hug will do.

    I requested a note to return to work on monday because I was originally told 3 days isolation, now they are telling me I need to continue to stay away from pregnant women and children , for how long??? And how long on staying away from my boyfriend?

    Help, lorena

    Time Limit Confusion

    Lorena,

    I initially had a high dose of RAI 30 days post surgery (removed thyroid and 24 lymph nodes - only 9 were cancerous).  According to my endo doc (he is listed as one of the best in the area (Dr. Wayne Evron) and told me to isolate myself in my own home for 10 days, drank a lot of water to flush out the RAI.  After 10 days, I was fine with being around people of all ages.

    And you are correct...YOU MUST BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE!  Be aggressive, assertive, pushy, ask questions and clarification for any response.  This is an unusual type of thyroid cancer and not many docs are aware of it's potential.  Very little treatment options.  There have been clinical trials, especially at MD Anderson (Houston, TX) and Memorial Sloan-Kettering - MSK (NYC).  I tried to get in to a clinical trial at MSK but they suspended the trial :(

    You'll do fine with the RAI treatment. 

    Bill