ABC's OF PAPILLARY THYROID CANCER

Are you one of those people that are always on the computer researching a symptom that you may have?  I have to admit that I do look up and read about things and ailments that I may be experiencing.  That is well and fine if you are looking for something that may help a headache go away.  But if the headache does not go away and is persistent you GO see the doctor.   If you have a cold or flu and you find a lump on your neck there is a very good chance that you have a swollen lymph node.  Once well, if the lump does not go down or away go have it checked out by a physician.

In my guide,  7 Steps To Do A Neck Check Of The Thyroid Gland,  you will be given a method of checking your neck for anything abnormal or unusual.  Once again this is only a guide.  If you do find something DO NOT immediately think “I have thyroid cancer”.  A very high percentage of lumps, thyroid nodules or cysts that are found on the thyroid gland are benign.  Sometimes the doctor will not do anything about them other than keep them under observation.

Guideline for looking up thyroid cancer medical advice online:

• Ask your doctor for reputable websites to read up about thyroid cancer

• Ask the pharmacist to recommend websites explaining the thyroid hormone replacement medications

• Type in specific “keywords” about what you are researching such as “papillary thyroid cancer treatments” or “preparing for a radioactive iodine treatment”

• Go to websites such as the American Thyroid Cancer Association and Thyroid Cancer Canada for very reliable tips and information

• Join thyroid carcinoma “chat” or “facebook pages”.  BEWARE though that all the information provided on this sites are personal experiences.  With this said you will find good support emotionally and also tips on handling the different situations that my be presented to you.  You may also find websites where you can “Ask a doctor” questions.

This an article I found about the topic.

How Symptoms Are Presented Online May Affect Whether We Think We Have The Disease

The Huffington Post  |  By Amanda L. Chan

Posted: 03/18/2012 11:42 pm

If you’re one of those people who obsessively Googles your symptoms when you’re feeling sick, you should read this.

A new study in the journal Psychological Science shows that we’re more likely to think we have the sickness or disease if a number of our symptoms are listed consecutively on a website.

“People irrationally infer more meanings from a ‘streak,’” study researcher Virginia Kwan, a psychologist at Arizona State University, said in a statement. It leads them to “perceive a higher personal risk of having that illness.”

For the experiment, Kwan and researchers from University of California, Irvine, Ono Academic College and the University of Warwick had student study participants were introduced to six symptoms for a made-up thyroid cancer, that researchers called “isthmal.”

One group of study participants received three broad symptoms (like weight changes, or fatigue) which were then followed by three specific symptoms (like having a lump in the neck). The second group of students received the same symptoms, but in reverse order — meaning the specific symptoms were given first, followed by the broad symptoms. The third group of students received a list of symptoms that alternated between broad and specific.

The study participants were asked to check off whether they’d felt any of the symptoms before over the last six weeks, and then were asked to rate how likely they thought they were to have developed the “isthmal” cancer.

The researchers found that for the first two groups who received the “lumped” broad and specific symptoms, they rated their risk of having cancer about the same. But the group that had the alternating symptoms were less likely to say they had the cancer, according to the study.

The researchers then conducted a similar experiment, but this time with lists of six or 12 symptoms for the real cancer meningioma. The researchers found that the appearance that there was a “streak” of symptoms disappeared when 12 symptoms were listed, compared to just six.

Patients aren’t the only ones Googling their symptoms — a survey published least year by Wolters Kluwer Health showed that nearly half of doctors (46 percent of those in the study) use sites like Google and Yahoo to treat, diagnose and care for their patients.

By comparison, 68 percent of doctors said they frequently look to professional journals and 60 percent of doctors frequently go to their colleagues, according to the survey. Forty-two percent of doctors say they frequently get their information from conferences and events, and 42 percent say they frequently get their information from online health sites like the Mayo Clinic and WebMD.

Elaine’s Comments

Once again I just want to emphasize to BEWARE of where you are getting medical information online.  As stated in the article there are good websites that even the doctors use.  Make sure you enter your e-mail address in the pop-up when you come onto my website, to  receive my free guide 7 Steps To Do A Neck Check Of The Thyroid Gland.

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Dr. Sheue-yann Cheng, Head of the Gene Regulation Section in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, takes you into her lab where she researches the biology and molecular actions of thyroid hormone receptors in health and disease. Dr. Cheng uses mouse models to study resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH), a key step in cancer development. Watch and listen to Dr. Cheng’s passion for uncovering possible molecular targets for the treatment of thyroid cancer. Learn more about Dr. Cheng’s research at http://ccr.cancer.gov/staff/staff.asp?profileid=5784

Elaine’s Comments

Although there are times that I feel that there is not enough being done to educate people about thyroid cancer, this video shows that there is research being done.  We hear so much about other cancers and sometimes I think there is just too much hype and nothing to show for it all.  Thanks to Thyroid Cancer Canada for all the information they have available for thyroid cancer patients.

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This article spoke to me and I had to share it with you.  In it Janet Jacobsen’s feeling and thoughts allow her to go through her journey with poise and dignity.  She allows her feelings to come out and to express them.  I believe that by doing this, they have been released and allows you to move on.

Five Ways to Cope Well With Cancer and Other Calamities

by Janet Jacobsen

I’ve been on a cancer journey for 3 years and I can honestly say that my life has been enriched by the experience. I’d like to share 5 ways I’ve learned to consciously cope well with cancer. These tips can apply to any kind of life challenge:

1. Face and feel your feelings fully. 
It’s only natural that when adversity strikes, we’re going to have feelings come up. I’ve learned that trying to rise above my feelings just positions me better for them to bite me in the butt!

I’ve learned instead to move towards my feelings, to befriend them and allow them to be here. I talk to my feelings compassionately, as if they were children. When I was receiving chemo I had to get a blood test once a week and it was not fun! One day when I was sitting in the waiting room, I heard a little girl about 5 years old in the next room, screaming “No, no, no!” They were trying to draw her blood and she didn’t want any part of it!

They kept telling her things like, “It won’t hurt much. Just get it over with.” I wanted to tell them, “Acknowledge and respect her fear.” When she finally came out I felt like giving her a big hug. Instead I gave my own inner child a hug, telling her, “I know this is scary. It’s okay to feel scared. Let yourself feel it. I’m here with you. I love you.” Feelings need to be heard and held and allowed and then they can relax a bit and naturally move through.

I’ve heard two acronyms for FEAR: one is Feel Everything And Recover. The other is F…k Everything And Run! That brings us to the next tip:

2. View the challenge as a growth opportunity. 
Ego wants to avoid suffering at any cost. Spirit wants to learn and grow at any cost. Spirit sees all adversities as opportunities to learn and grow. Here’s what I wrote about this in my book, Oh No, Not Another ‘Growth’ Opportunity!:

“When challenges befall me, my ego wails in a Mr. Bill whine, “Oh Nooo. Not another learning opportunity!” My spirit says, “Oh Yeah! Another opportunity to grow! Bring it on!” My ego moans, “We are in deep doodoo!” My spirit exalts, “Rich compost, yay!”

Growth wants to happen one way or another. It could be a cancerous growth in our body, or personal growth in our life. I’m going for the personal growth!

3. Follow your bliss. 
When I first found out I had uterine cancer I realized that I’d been stagnating – I’d done the same work for 27 years and was no longer inspired by it. It had always been my dream to do inspirational writing. Cancer shook me awake and compelled me to take a risk and live my dream.

The beauty part of doing what you love is that it can be healing. That’s what happened to a woman named Phoebe Snetsinger. When she was told that she had terminal cancer, instead of checking into hospice, she decided to fulfill her dream by traveling the world, spotting birds. Her cancer went into remission, and twenty years later she held the world record for spotting the most birds ever!

4. Use the tremendous power of suggestion. 
I love this Deepak Chopra quote: “Our cells are constantly eavesdropping on our thoughts and being changed by them.” A perfect example of this is the amazing, true account of “Mr. Wright”, who in the mid 1950′s had terminal cancer with tumors the size of oranges; he was clearly on his way out. His doctors gave him an experimental drug called Krebiozen and in ten days his tumors were almost completely gone and he was restored to good health!

But then he heard a report that the drug was ineffective, and his tumors grew back! His doctors decided to tell him that the report was wrong, that the drug did work at a higher dose, but this time they gave him a placebo. Once again his tumors disappeared! Alas, a few months later the AMA came out with an official announcement that the drug was useless. Mr. Wright died shortly afterward. The moral of this story is: we must choose our thoughts wisely because they can cure us or kill us!

I do a morning practice of affirming how I want my day to go, saying and feeling it as if it is already so. When I completed my cancer treatment almost 2 years ago I was in pain and discomfort. Everyday I verbally affirmed: “I am becoming pain free. I am comfortable in my body.” In a very short time the pain went away!

5. Be Here Now. 
Whenever I have a twinge of fear about what might happen in the future, I remind myself, “I’m alright right now and right now is all there is.” Knowing that my time here may be limited has galvanized me into the present moment. I want to be fully alive while I am alive. My husband and I look into each other’s eyes, really seeing each other, feeling the eternity of the present moment. When I’m fully in the present, time actually expands. Being present has given me the gift of time.

I hoping that you too may be empowered and enriched by your life challenges.

Janet Jacobsen 
Author of the book Oh No, Not Another ‘Growth’ Opportunity! An Inspirational Cancer Journey With Humor, Heart, and Healing

Are you or someone you know coping with cancer or other life challenges? To read more of Janet Jacobsen’s FREE, inspirational, entertaining, and informative essays, as well as the first 4 chapters of her book, go to http://enlightenink.com/

Elaine’s Comments

If there is one more way of coping that I might add to this list is to take personal development courses and training.  Ten years after my diagnosis with papillary thyroid cancer I became involved with a personal development company and it changed my life.  It was by taking one of these courses called the Ultimate Internet Bootcamp (click on UIBC Live beside this post for more info)  that I realized that I could change a supposedly very negative part of my life, papillary thyroid carcinoma, to a very positive part of my life by creating this website.  I believe it is my mission to share information to and help thyroid cancer patients.

Is your doctor working for you or just going by the books? Doctors and specialists are very busy people, we all know that. We also know when we need them, we need them!

• Is dismissive of your concerns

• Interrupts you when you are speaking, not allowing you to complete your say

• Is rude and arrogant, with an I know best attitude

• Scolds you if you are not of the same opinion as they are

• Doesn’t return your calls or have someone call you with a message

• Appears not confident and does not know what the next step in treatment could be or keeps changing their mind

• Appears to be using information and statistics from the internet

• Does not listen to what you have to say

• Cannot answer your questions so you can understand what is happening

• Does not allow you a say in your treatment

• Is not compassionate and does not address your feelings and fears

• Uses an emotional prompts such as “I am scared” or “I am afraid”.

Elaine’s Comments:

At times we become complacent with the environment we are in. We feel doctors SHOULD know what is best for us. Yet at the same time we have to think of ourselves and how we feel about the situation. It is a hassle and at time very difficult to find another doctor or specialist but it can be done. We are fortunate that our papillary thyroid cancer is a slow moving cancer.

Be careful not to burn your bridges. The second opinion may be the same as the first.

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Dr. Hinley D.C. writes a very good article explaining the the different conditions that can occur with the thyroid gland.  He did not mention thyroid cancer.  Thyroid cancer is also a condition of the thyroid gland.  Although it said to occur rarely, thyroid cancer has the fastest rise rate of cases than any other cancers.  There are four types of thyroid cancer.

The most common is papillary thyroid cancer. Occurring at any age it begins in the papillary cells. This type tends to grow slowly and if it spreads it will spread to the lymph nodes in the neck. When a patient is diagnosed with papillary cancer in the early stages, they can be cured.

The next most common is follicular thyroid cancer.  This type usually occurs in older patients.  It also can be cured if detected in the early stage.

Medullary thyroid cancer is usually associated with other endocrine problems. Unlike the first two this type can be diagnosed by genetic testing of the blood cells. It is easier to control if found early and is treated before it spreads.

Anaplastic cancer, the most rare type,  is usually found in patients that are over 45 years of age. Unlike the previous three types, anaplastic thyroid cancer is very hard to control.

Understanding the Human Thyroid Gland
By Dr Gerry Hinley, D.C.

The thyroid gland is a gland located at the bottom part of the neck and is wrapped around the windpipe. It is responsible for producing and storing thyroid hormones that regulate body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and the rate of conversion of food into energy.

The thyroid uses iodine, a mineral usually found in iodized salt, to make its hormones. Lack of iodine in the body may lead to thyroid diseases like goiter.

Common Thyroid Diseases

A dysfunctional thyroid gland may lead to some diseases like hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s disease.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism happens when the body produces too little thyroid hormones. Since thyroid hormones are responsible for the rate of metabolism, a slow metabolism plus weight gain is the most common sign of this disease.

Also, people who suffer from hypothyroidism experiences great amounts of hair loss. Hypothyroidism is easily detected through a blood test. More often than not, treatment for this disease is as easy as taking one pill a day. However, it is still best to consult with a physician.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is the total opposite of hypothyroidism. This disease is due to the over production of thyroid hormones. Some of its symptoms include fatigue, increased bowel movements and weight loss.

Hyperthyroidism may also be easily detected through a blood test. Treatments for hyperthyroidism include anti-thyroid drugs, radioactive iodine and surgery to remove some parts of the thyroid gland.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is more commonly known as Hashimoto’s disease. This condition is caused by the inflammation of the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may lead to hypothyroidism if left untreated. This disease is an autoimmune disease which means that the body’s immune system unsuitably attacks the thyroid gland therefore causing inflammation.

Symptoms of this disease are almost the same as hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for this disease because there are no ways to find out how long will the autoimmune process of the body will continue.

Caring for the Thyroid Gland

As the old saying goes, prevention is always better than cure. What then are the ways to protect the thyroid gland and to keep it healthy?

First thing to do is to have regular levels of iodine in the body. Iodine rich foods include cranberries, organic navy beans, organic strawberries, dairy products, potatoes and iodized salt. Also, some multivitamin supplements with iodine are available in drugstores.

Next, stay away from canned foods which affect the digestive enzymes of the body and may lead to a malfunctioning thyroid.

Lastly, avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation especially during CT scans especially on the head and neck. When dental X-rays need to be performed, make sure you are equipped with a thyroid shield.

Dr. Gerry Hinley, D.C. believes Chiropractic’s philosophy that teaches a person could heal from within, without drugs, surgery or their harmful side effects. He opened Integrative Physical Medicine of Chicago, where he has been making changes in peoples lives by helping them overcome and in many cases reverse thyroid dysfunction.

Elaine’s Comments

Although I am not a doctor, I have researched and put together an e-book explaining the thyroid gland.  Check it out  The Thyroid Gland In Simple Terms

1. Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common of the thyroid carcinomas. The spreading of this type of thyroid cancer to the lymph nodes in the neck occurs in approximately 50 percent of the small papillary carcinomas and in more than 75 percent of the larger papillary thyroid carcinomas. Although the presence of this cancer metastasis in the lymph nodes will present a higher rate of re-occurrence, it does not mean a higher rate of mortality.

2. Follicular cancer of the thyroid gland, the second most common of thyroid carcinomas, does not usually spread to the lymph nodes. On occasion it may grow in the lymph nodes but follicular thyroid cancer is more likely than papillary thyroid cancer to grow into the blood vessels and metastasis in other areas, particularly the lungs and bones.

3. Medullary thyroid cancer, the third most common, is known to spread to the lymphatic system much earlier than the papillary and follicular types of thyroid cancer.

4. Anaplastic thyroid cancer, the most serious of the thyroid cancers, will also spread to the lymph nodes very early. Typically, the reason a patient is in the doctors office is because of enlarged lymph nodes. Of the four types, this thyroid cancer is the most likely to spread beyond the thyroid gland and local lymph nodes to other organs.

Elaine’s Comments

Age is the major factor in establishing a prognosis of thyroid cancers. Young people will rarely die from this cancer even if it has affected the lymph nodes or has extended into the blood vessels to other areas.

This makes it so important to have your thyroid checked by your doctor regularly and to do self checks routinely.

Early detection can save your life.

Cancer may spread through other areas of the body in a process called metastasis.  The cancer can spread through the lymphatic system which the lymph nodes are a part of.  Detaching from the primary tumor, the cancer cell travels in the lymphatic fluid until it get stuck in the small channels inside the nodule.  This is where the secondary cancer begins.

What are Lymph nodes?

• part of the lymphatic system
• bean shaped structures as small as a pin head to the size of a lima bean
• serve as channels for the extra cellular fluid around the cells to return into the blood stream
• act as filters for bacteria, fungi and viruses
  
• the white blood cells and antibodies in the lymph nodes fight diseases

When diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid gland, the nodes belonging to the lymphatic system in the area will be checked. Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common thyroid cancer.  The spread to nodes, cervical metastasis, occurs in 50% of small tumors and over 75% of the larger thyroid tumors.
Elaine’s comments
When I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer I had a thyroidectomy.  During this surgery they removed suspicious lymph nodes for biopsy.
Unfortunately, in my case the thyroid cancer had broke out of the thyroid gland and did spread to my lymph nodes.

During a full body scan, two years later, several more lymph nodes were suspicious.  I then went through a surgery called a radical neck dissection.  My surgery was on the right side of my neck.  The incision was made from just below my right ear down and once again reopening my thyroidectomy incision as you can see in the picture.
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Dentist and dental assistants, today will tell you there is no danger of radiation from the dental x-rays.  Maybe that is true and maybe it is not.  We will not know for sure for years.  What we do know is that if you have been or are presently being exposed to radiation you are at a higher risk of developing thyroid cancer.
The thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck is very sensitive to radiation exposure.  Exposure to radiation can cause the thyroid to swell, which is called goiter. Radiation exposure can cause hyperthyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone and causes the body to speed up.
Dr. Oz , who hosts a television medical program, warns that people who have more than five X-rays a year have a fourfold greater risk of developing thyroid cancer, and recommended the use of a lead thyroid shield when getting dental X-rays or mammograms.

How to protect yourself from radiation exposure to the thyroid gland

1. Only have body and dental x-rays when there is a specific clinical need, not as a part of a routine check-up.
2. When having an x-ray, dental or mammogram, protect the thyroid gland with a lead thyroid collar.
3. With  children being very susceptible to radiation exposure causing thyroid damage, their x-rays should be minimal and parents have to insist that they are wearing the thyroid neck guards for dental x-rays and orthodontic procedures.

Fortunately, today the new x-ray technology is in our favor.  The new digital x-rays provide up to a 90 percent reduction in radiation.  This method of x-rays also has no scatter radiation, making it safer for you and the x-ray technicians.

Elaine’s Comments:

Growing up I did not have any dental work don e. Lucky for me I had good teeth and no cavities.   My first real experience at a dentist was in my early 20′s.  I then had annual check-ups and dental x-rays.  I cannot remember having a thyroid gland protector put on my neck.  I also started having mammograms done annually in my late 30′s.  Once again I know for sure I had no thyroid gland protection.  Most of these x-rays were done before the digital x-ray technology came about.   I do not blame that for the cause of my papillary thyroid cancer but it could be one contributing factor.

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Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer and around 70% of thyroid cancer patients affected by papillary thyroid cancer. It generally arises as solid, cystic and irregular mass arise from the typical tissues of thyroid gland. It can occur at any age. However, people in the age group of 40 -50 are more likely to have this type of cancer. Most of the children who develop thyroid cancer are diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer.

An asymptomatic thyroid nodule tends to appear as neck mass and in some cases the neck mass might produce local symptoms of papillary thyroid cancer. They are diagnosed on routine examinations. Biopsy and ultrasound are generally done to diagnose papillary thyroid cancer.

Thyroid ultrasound is found to be very effective to discover the nodules to identify the presence of small carcinomas, which are malignant tumors i,e cancerous cells. Surgery is the common treatment for papillary thyroid cancer preferred by doctors to treat papillary thyroid cancer where the cancerous tissues are removed. After surgical removal, radio iodine therapy is given to the patients.

Compared with other types of thyroid cancer, papillary thyroid cancer has high recovery and cure rate. More than 80% of patients found to survive more than 10 years with papillary cancer.

Stevie JoEllie’s Cancer Care Fund is a 100% Volunteer Led Thyroid Cancer Awareness, Access to Care and Free Supportive Services for Thyroid Cancer Patients and Survivors Nationwide Project of United Charitable Programs Inc., a 501(c)3 Public Charity. To learn more please visit our website www.sjccfthynet.org/

Elaine’s Comments:

As mentioned in Stevie’s blog a biopsy may be done if a lump is found.  This biopsy is a fine needle aspiration.  A FNA can be done in the doctor’s office if the nodule or cyst is large enough and easily got to.  The procedure can also be done with the guidance of ultrasound.  There are other methods that are used in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer.  In my guide 5 Steps Once A Lump Is Found On The Neck you will find the other methods described in more detail.

One very important detail missing from the above blog is that once a patient has had  a thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer they will have to be on a thyroid hormone replacement medication for the rest of their life.

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I survived thyroid cancer – and now I thrive