Thyroid Cancer Symptoms

Question: Thyroid cancer symptoms at onset & treatment? ..oops That was 3 questions. Sorry!! :-) I recently learned that I have thyroid cancer. I'm still waiting to find out if I'll need only part or my whole thyroid removed. I have two questions actually... 1. Did you have any symptoms leading to finding out you had thyroid cancer (websites say there are no symptoms, but people say otherwise). 2. How was the surgery, recovery time, etc... does everyone have to take RAI after the surgery? 3. Was further cancer screening done?

Answer: I found out I had thyroid cancer 3 years ago and up until my diagnosis I had no symptoms they found mine by accident when I had a ct scan of my chest and then sent me immediately for a biopsy but after I was diagnosed I noticed that swallowing was hard guess you don't pay attention to stuff like that unless you know there is an issue my tumor size was 3.5 inches which is big For surgery if you have a choice I would get your entire thyroid removed since that procedure is the best in limiting any recurrence and for me the surgery wasn't to bad I was only in the hospital overnight able to go home the next day and the pain was very minimal the hospital sent me home with basically just a strong ibuprofen and that worked for the pain and as far as RAI after surgery not all doctors do it really it depends on the doctor and what they find during surgery but even that is not bad and for further screening there is a tumor mark blood test for the thyroid which is pretty accurate from what I understand but if you have thyroid antibodies like i do the test in not reliable and then your only option may be low dose RAI and body scan. Best of luck to you and hope I was able to help

Question: What are some symptoms of Thyroid Cancer?

Answer: Thyroid Cancer Symptoms Thyroid cancer is a disease that affects the thyroid. The thyroid is a gland located in the front part of the neck. The first thyroid cancer symptom that patients usually experience is swelling or a small lump in the front of the neck. Many times these lumps are benign, but need to be further evaluated by a physician. What Is Thyroid Cancer? Thyroid cancer is a disease in which thyroid cells become abnormal, grow uncontrollably, and form a cancerous tumor. If left untreated, thyroid cancer can spread and cause harm to other parts of the body through a process called metastasis. There are four major types of thyroid cancer. The four major types are: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. The different types of look different under a microscope and grow at different rates. Papillary cancer. This type of thyroid cancer develops in the cells that produce thyroid hormones containing iodine. Papillary cancer grows very slowly and contains cells that are similar to healthy thyroid cells. Papillary cancers account for about 60 to 80 percent of all thyroid cancers. Follicular cancer. This type of cancer also develops in thyroid cells that produce iodine-containing hormones. About 10 to 30 percent of thyroid cancers are follicular cancers. Medullary cancer. Medullary cancer is more difficult to control than papillary and follicular thyroid cancers. It is more difficult to control because the cancer cells tend to spread to other parts of the body. The cells involved in medullary cancers produce calcitonin. Calcitonin does not contain iodine. About 5 to 7 percent of all thyroid cancers are medullary cancers. What is the Thyroid Gland? The thyroid gland is a type of endocrine gland, that secretes hormones (thyroglobulin) necessary for growth and proper metabolism. The thyroid gland also maintains blood calcium balance within a narrow range. The thyroid gland is necessary for life. It is located in the lower part of the neck. What Causes Thyroid Cancer? The exact cause of thyroid cancer is unknown. However, several factors have been noted to increase the risk of developing thyroid cancer. Some of the noted factors are having a goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland), the presence of nodules on the thyroid (nodules are bumps or uneven areas of enlargement), radiation exposure, family history of thyroid cancer, chronic infections or inflammation of the thyroid. What are the Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer? Early stages of thyroid cancer usually has no symptoms, it is just a small lump in the thyroid. As the cancer grows, it may produce the following symptoms: Neck Mass, Hoarseness, Neck Pain, Swallowing Difficulty, Breathing Difficulty, and Swollen Glands. Can Thyroid Cancer be Prevented? Unfortunately, since most people with thyroid cancer have no known risk factors, it is very difficult to prevent most cases of this disease. Can Thyroid Cancer be treated? Yes. The treatment for thyroid cancer depends on the type and stage of disease, as well as the age and overall health of the patient. Types of treatment used are: surgery (removal of the diseased part of the thyroid), chemotherapy, radioactive iodine therapy and/or hormone therapy. Effects of Treatment Statistics Each year in the U.S.A. there are about 15,600 people diagnosed with thyroid cancer. About 1,200 people die from it each year in the United States. Women are affected about three times more than men. Thyroid cancer is more common in people of Asian descent. Lymphedema Other thyroid cancer symptoms include: difficulty swallowing cough that is not caused by a cold and is persistent hoarseness not from a cold enlarged neck node Keep in mind that these could also be symptoms of other illnesses. If you are experiencing anything that you are concerned with, please see your doctor. Nothing can substitute the examination of a healthcare professional.

Question: symptoms of thyroid cancer...? what are the symptoms.... NO I'M NOT PARANOID...JUST RULING THINGS OUT...I THOUGHT THIS IS A PLACE FOR QUESTIONS,........NOT RUDE PEOPLE.

Answer: had it, did it, done. swelling, tiredness, no hair growth, see your doctor for lab tests to confirm.

Question: Thyroid cancer.................? What is the first symptom you would experience if you have Thyroid cancer???????? And if a cancer/disease gave you a list of symptoms and you only had one of the symptom and that symptom is a common symptom for other things... but u didnt have any of the others... should you get worried that u have that disease/cancer?

Answer: What are symptoms of thyroid cancer? Early thyroid cancer often does not cause symptoms. But as the cancer grows, symptoms may include: A lump, or nodule, in the front of the neck near the Adam's apple; Hoarseness or difficulty speaking in a normal voice; Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck; Difficulty swallowing or breathing; or Pain in the throat or neck. These symptoms are not sure signs of thyroid cancer. An infection, a benign goiter, or another problem also could cause these symptoms. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. Only a doctor can diagnose and treat the problem.

Question: If diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. Then had a Thyroidectomy performed, what are the post symptoms?

Answer: You will become hypothyroid and are subject to all the symptoms of this condition such as; weight gain, constipation, dry skin, dry thinning hair, brain fog, depression, low body temp, muscle and joint aches, sleep apnea, headaches, fertility issues, and increased cholesterol. The good news, once on the correct thyroid medication and at the right thyroid levels most of these symptoms will be gone. I suggest you look through yahoo groups for a group on thyroid cancer. There somene can tell you about everything they went through post op.

Question: Do I have thyroid Cancer? I am a 15 year old male, and today I noticed randomly my throat was hurting on the right side, towards the top when I swallow. It completely started out of no where. I have no lump, and I work at a day care that requires me to talk and raise my voice a lot. I am a bit of a hypochondriac, but idk, the symptoms just seem like symptoms of thyroid cancer. It is hard for me to swallow a little, and it really hurts.

Answer: That does not sound like thyroid cancer at all. A lump, hoarseness, trouble swallowing and breathing are common thyroid cancer symptoms. It sounds like you've strained your voice and have a sore throat... try a lozenge.

Question: Do you think I have Thyroid cancer??? OK well I usually get paranoid about stuff and I have trouble breathing. That is only one of the symptoms of thyroid cancer... i have none of the other symptoms. But this breathing thing has been happening for the past 8 months. And I have an extremely high level of anxiety. And when I get stressed about stuff i have trouble breathing but i also hav OCD so when I have trouble breathing my OCD holds on to that so it feels like 24/7 i am constantly having trouble breathing. I dont have any trouble eating or sleeping. I have extremely trouble breathing when i am really worried or anxious about something (it might not always be stuff that I know about or that is on my mind at that moment). and days when nothing is wrong and there isn't a care in the world... I can almost breath perfectly fine. For example, when the summer first began i could breath almost perfectly fine. And when i went to that wicked awesome Hedley concert int August my breathing wasn't bothering me that much. But the last 2 weeks of august they were horrible cause I was starting High School (im a 14 year old girl). I have seen a couple doctors about this. (2 physical ones and a shrink) the last physical doctor i saw which was about 5 months ago felt around my throat and listened to me breath and said i was fine and there was nothing physically wrong with me and the other physical one said that to. And would a doctor be able to detect if i had Thyroid cancer if she checked me 5 months ago and this problem started 8 moths ago. Well actually it started a year and a half ago. But I would have little attacks like it would last for a week. and that happened 3 times but this one has alsted much longer. DO you think this is thyroid cancer????

Answer: Thyroid cancer would be well down on my list of suspects. Sounds like panic attacks, hyperventilation and anxiety. If this is right, the more you worry about it being thyroid cancer the worse it will get!

Question: Advice on what to expect for thyroid needle biopsy? PETRIFIED! Labs normal but thyroid symptoms. Tired, ETC.? I have had thyroid symptoms for a long time, with always normal labs. Doesn't make sense. Past couple years ultrasound every 6 mos. for thyroid swelling. Multi nodular goiter. Last week u/s showed one nodule getting larger. Have to have fine needle biopsy. I am so scared, right here at Christmas to have to go through this. Have feeling of choking, tightness in throat, lots of congestion in throat, hoarseness at times, fatigue, nervousness, palpitations etc. NORMAL LABS..Anyone have any suggestions? Mother had thyroid removed 80 yrs ago lots of thyroid disease in family. No thyroid cancer, though. I'm scared anyone have this problem????I do have cervical disc ruptures that I'm suppose to have surgery for, could that be causing any of my symptoms???Thanks so much for anyone who can help!!!

Answer: Hi. Boy, do i know how you feel. I am going through the exact same thing right now. My thyroid is huge, and the doctor said that she can feel nodules on it. I also have the choking, tightness, and hoarse voice. They want me to go for an ultrasound and biopsy, but i've put it off for 2 months now because i just can't deal with it. I've become extremely depressed and scared because i think i have cancer. The worse part is that i have no insurance to help cover the cost of all the tests i need ( which is just making the stress worse ). I can tell you that since thyroid problems run in your family, it puts you at a greater risk. Sorry, i can't be of more help. Just wanted you to know that you're not alone. It's a scary thing to go through, but i'm sure you'll do fine. Best of luck, feel better soon. <<>>

Question: is thyroid cancer contagious? is thyroid symptoms can be transmitted by way of kissing?

Answer: No

Question: What are causes of an enlarged thyroid besides cancer or hyper/ hypo thyroidsim? I'm a 23 year old female. I was told my two different doctors that I have an enlarged thyroid. The both gave me the thc test and it came back normal. Neither doctor went any further with it and I'm worried. I have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Answer: That is called a goiter, and it has no other causes. If you have all of the other symptoms of hypothyroidism too, in addition to the goiter, you need to get treatment for your hypothyroidism. Get your ducks in a row first though. You had a TSH blood test. Thyroid stimulating hormone. You didn't have a blood test for pot. It's really hard to get a doctor to take you seriously when you have a thyroid condition in the first place (as you found out). You have to do your research before you go in, know more than the doctor, and know what tests to demand. If you do things like get he names of the tests wrong, you'll never get treatment. That being said, TSH is a useless test. All it means is that you need further testing. Every Dr. will use it for diagnosis, but it can't be used for diagnosis. It is an indirect test, so it's ridiculous to diagnose based on it. You need a direct test of your thyroid. That is Free T3 and Free T4. See how those come out. They are the definitive tests for a thyroid problem. It took me until my 3rd doctor to get a diagnosis of my thyroid problem, and until my 6th doctor before I could get some help with my symptoms. So I know what you are going through. Hang in there. Find a new doctor. If that one can't help you, find another one.

Question: does thyroid problems run in the family? My sister had thyroid cancer and i have had some symptoms and was wondering if this is something i should check into?

Answer: Definitely! I was diagnosed hyperthyroid in 2001, a couple of years later my oldest sister was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Now my other sister also has to take a pill because her thyroid is working too hard to produce hormone. My dr said to tell everyone in my family to get it checked after my diagnosis.

Question: Breast cancer survivor, 10 years out--new symptoms? I had a partial mastectomy with excision. All mammo's to this point have been clear. I called my new doctor, because I was concerned about a bad feeling I have at the surgical site...muscle stress, not painful exactly, kind of like an intense stitch in my side like as if I had been running. I also have this itch/burning deep against my chest wall that happens with no particular frequency--just random even when I sleep. The other thing is a dry cough at all times of day and night. The cancer that I had was deep in the chest muscle, so the surgical site includes some of the muscle. The radiation treatment went longer than expected because they didn't want it to impact the lung any more than necessary. I have a new mammo appointment, scheduled for late March, based on lack of symptoms (no ultra-sound, chest x-ray, or blood work) Dr. says not approved? Do you other survivors think this odd? I have been totally clear of my thyroid cancer since 2001. Any ideas? Comments? Suggest? I guess what I'm asking is: I don't really know this new doctor, and am not thrilled with her casual reaction to my questions. Having been through the recurrence of thyroid cancer, I'm more than a little concerned that after all this time..................IT'S BACK....as they say in Poltergeist..... Any ideas? Suggestions? Anything?

Answer: Comment: Your a real fighter! God bless you. Way to go! My mom had Brain and breast cancer and passed away 4 years ago. She lost her battle. But She had it for 8 years. -Sadye (age 15)

Question: Thyroid Cancer (19 yrs. old and scared)? SYMPTOMS (etc.): -- Medium/large mass on thyroid. -- Very firm, but not quite hard. -- Some-what movable, I guess? -- Hasn't grown in years (4+) -- Recent heart "skipping" beats. I'm only 19 and I am so scared that I am going to die from thyroid cancer (if I have it.) My main concern is that it has spread (since, I have had the mass for so long) and it will end up being too late for me. Any advise? Thank you. I made two doctors' app. for this month. I know I should have made the doctors' app. right when I found the mass, but I was very stubborn and well... to be honest, scared of the unknown. I can't dwell on my past, though. I made the doctors' app. and that is all that matters now.

Answer: I 2nd the first guy's answer - if you're going to get a cancer, pick thyroid cancer. It's easy to treat. My wife had it. They removed her thyroid, and she will take a radioactive iodine pill to kill any remaining thyroid tissue. She will be on a thyroid replacement hormone for the rest of her life, but that's not bad. But until the doctor says it's cancer, you DON"T HAVE TO ASSUME IT IS. Wait until your doctor confirms it or proves it otherwise. Then get information from him - treatments, prognoses, long-term survival rates, treatment options, etc. You may find out that you'll recover and be fine for a long time. Or until you're too stubborn to go to the doctor next time, any way.

Question: 19 Years Old and Scared that I May Have Thyroid Cancer: Please, Give Me Some Advise... Thank You? SYMPTOMS (etc.): -- Medium/large mass on thyroid. -- Very firm, but not quite hard. -- Some-what movable, I guess? -- Hasn't grown in years (4+) -- Recent heart "skipping" beats. I'm only 19 and I am so scared that I am going to die from thyroid cancer (if I have it.) My main concern is that it has spread (since, I have had the mass for so long) and it will end up being too late for me. Any advise? Thank you. I made two doctors' app. for this month. I know I should have made the doctors' app. right when I found the mass, but I was very stubborn and well... to be honest, scared of the unknown. I can't dwell on my past, though. I made the doctors' app. and that is all that matters now.

Answer: I am also 19 years old and I had thyroid cancer (possibly still have it), and its good you are going to see a doctor, im sure if you did have it then its treatable. All they did with me is they checked it with a MRI, and CAT scan, and also did a Ultra Sound. They can remove it, and also give you treatments like Radioactive Iodine. I was scared also, and feared that I wouldn't make it, but all you have to do is stay strong, and be positive, and have the will to live. I am very sure that if you did have it hun they will make sure you'll be ok. If you need anyone to talk to about this feel free to email me. twitchylove@yahoo.com. Good Luck Hun!! :) oh and p.s Thyroid cancer spreads very slowly.

Question: can hpv cause thyroid cancer? Wife has hpv. She had leep and heas been symptom free for about 5 months now. She has had other symptoms for a while now.. had an X ray and they found a tumor on her thyroid.... Could it be related to hpv?

Answer: HPV causes cervical cancer, and some other types of cancer such as oral, anal, vulvar, vaginal, and penile. And some people think it might be related to prostate cancer. HPV has never been linked in any way to thyroid cancer. I guess somebody could publish some new study on it, but I seriously doubt it. They are not linked.

Question: Can some one please help thyroid cancer? okay for the past 3 weeks i have? *had a swollen gland under my right ear which is sore to touch no flu symptoms *a little bit down from that my neck is a bit swollen and hard- the swelling cums and goes and is not sore its hardish but does not feel like a lump more like a rectangle * my widom teeth were playin up gettin infected i have to have them removed * i think i strained my neck - i went to the doc who said my muscle was a bit tight she felt my neck ect and gave me cream * all this started when my teeeth started playin up incl ocassional ear pain i have no other symptoms but iam terrifid i have neck cancer can sum one explain the swelling they felt describe where it was ect what shud i do sorry if this is a stupid question its just worryining

Answer: that gland under your ear is a lymph node. You don't have to have flu symptoms to have it be swollen. For some reason your body is trying to heal you. Maybe it's from the teeth, maybe you have an ear infection. Since it started with the teeth, I think it ends with the teeth. I assume that "have to have" means that you "had to have" them removed and have already done it. This is a normal reaction for such a procedure. And, it could be that you are still fighting the infection that was caused by the teeth. Your body is trying to heal and it is using your lymph system. Your thyroid isn't even located right there....it's in the front of your neck