I have thyroid cancer. It is not life threatening. I am really sorry if you are a friend or family member who is hearing this news for the first time. If you are interested in the particulars, see my FAQ below. I’m happy to answer any other questions you have.
My Cancer FAQ
How serious is it?
Not serious at all. My life is not in danger, and I don’t have any physical symptoms at this point. There is reason to hope, possibly even expect, that one small surgery should fix the problem entirely.
What kind of cancer is it?
It’s papillary thyroid cancer, which is one of the most benign forms of the disease. There is only a 1% chance that any cancer will spread outside the “thyroid capsule,” and mine was caught early.
What is the treatment plan?
On July 5th, I will have surgery to remove my thyroid. I’ll have to stay in the hospital overnight, and I should be fully recovered in 1-2 weeks. After that I’ll have to be on hormone replacement for the rest of my life, since you do kind of need a thyroid to live. If the cancer hasn’t spread, then the surgery will cure it. If there is any spreading or other reasons to be concerned, I’ll need a radioactive iodine treatment about six weeks after the surgery.
Is radioactive iodine like radiation or chemo therapy?
No. Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that can absorb iodine, so the treatment will have no effect on any other part of my body. I will have to be in isolation for a few days (they mean it when they say “radioactive”), but I shouldn’t have any symptoms.
How was it found?
I’d gone to a general practitioner to get some antibiotics for a lingering cold. She examined my throat and found a small nodule on my thyroid. Three doctors and four tests later, they think I have cancer.
Wait, they think you have cancer?
Yep. Depending on which doctor is speaking, they are 50-80% sure that it’s cancer. I have heard from other thyroid cancer patients and a few nurses that doctors always say that. They are covering their butts in case they remove a necessary gland and it turns out there isn’t any cancer in it.
Isn’t it great that you might not have cancer?
No. I do not take comfort in uncertain doctors. Furthermore, whether it is actually cancer or not doesn’t change the treatment plan at all. I am a pragmatist, so since we are acting like I have cancer I prefer to call it that.
If you are the praying kind, I would very much appreciate prayers for quick recovery, that no cancer has spread, and that I won’t need radioactive iodine treatment.
Hopefully very soon we will return to our regular programming with a cool, artsy, reflective piece on something profound.