Hi. I had papillary thyroid cancer three years ago and it is very unusual for it to spread outside the neck. I think the number of cases which do are between 1% and 4%. Like you, mine was there for a very long time, possibly six years or more and...it spread to eight lymph nodes in the neck, but that was all (and spread to the lymph nodes doesn't affect the outcome to any great extent). I also had a nodule of 10.5cm, 6.7cm of which was cancerous. Yeah... Yours is likely well under one-tenth of its size.

The odds are that the surgery will cure you completely. It did for me

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me. I really appreciate it. I am super glad to hear you're doing well!!

 The consultant did tell me that the chances of dying from this os rare, but he also said the chances this was cancer was rare so now am in a little anxious mode. 
 

I think what creeps me out is that they can't see it; they said it's likely microcarcinoma ... so how will they ensure they have taken it out if they can't see it ( without blindly just taking lots of tissue out and hoping for best)...! 

Was your surgery and post op recovery ok?

When somebody has thyroid cancer, they usually take the whole thyroid out (though when it's as small as that, there is a possibility they'd just take half the thyroid, but they don't just remove the tumour itself, so they'd be taking a lot out anyway).

And yeah, the worst thing about the operation was the anaesthetic. I was back at work a month after it. 

Hey, found out today thay booked the surgery for the 24th ( month today). He didn't seem concerned re the wait. He said after that I'll have iodine treatment and ( providing no distant met) that should hoefully be it. Guessing the wait is ok? I just want it all out asap! 

Yeah, that's a pretty short wait time. I also got mine done fairly quickly - about six weeks after diagnosis - because the surgeon reckoned that "psychologically, it was better to get it done quickly," even though "it's not going to do anything in the immediate future."

Best of luck with the operation.

Thanks a lot. 

Hello, the PA forgot to add me ( I think literally ) to the end of April date and now it's pushed to 15th May; that's 2 months after diagnosis of a cancerous lump that's been there for 3 years min. 
 

I asked a little in the Facebook thyroid cancer group and most people on NHS had ops within 10 days to 2 weeks. Feel I made an error going private ( my reasons were I thought would be quicker and since work pay for insurance, can relieve the nhs and give someone my "space " so to speak) but now I'm worried this negligence will cause this to spread... not to mention my mental state and the fact I had to arrange mums visit to help with my baby ( she lives abroad ) and now need to amend tickets etc ... sorry I guess just wanted to vent ... 

Hi,

I had surgery last year, total thyroidectomy and neck dissection after finding a swollen lymph node  in my neck a few months earlier. I was in the same boat as you, they couldn't find my cancer but once they took my thyroid out they found 7 tumours (all small) and from the 50 lymph nodes I had out, 11 were cancerous. I waited 7 weeks between diagnosis and surgery. My consultant said I had likely cancer for years before I had any symptoms. I know it's really hard not to stress but the wait for the surgery will very, very unlikely make any difference to the progression of your cancer, its slow growing and although I know it feels like a lifetime to wait it won't make a difference. I used my time before surgery to make sure I did lots of active things I wanted to do with my kids and husband and had a pre surgery holiday away! as I didn't know how I would be post-op. Im really glad i made the most of the wait and did everything i could to take my mind off it! I hope everything goes well for you.

Hey thanks so much for your reply! I had a swollen lymph for 3 years ( it got misdiagnosed ) so am very nervous it has gone elsewhere. My biggest worry is the radioactive scan ... as that will show what/ where. 
 

did you also have iodine treatment ? How are you feeling now ? X x