Does anyone have any questions about papillary thyroid cancer?

Posted by lindaadele @lindaadele, Aug 30, 2025

I am a 25 year survivor of papillary thyroid cancer and have been volunteering for many years answering many questions from people who have papillary thyroid cancer and have questions about it. I would be happy to answer any questions from people who have concerns about thyroid cancer.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Thyroid Cancer Support Group.

Profile picture for Val @vfwsky

I’ll try my best to make this short. I tried communicating with my doctor with an issue I was having with my throat. Nothing came from it so after some time a nurse practitioner noticed something about my neck and started asking me questions and she described the strangulation feeling I had been having, which had been causing me difficulty sleeping and eating. With these flair ups it had caused me to get really bad acne and it sucked all my motivation away and I’ve become really depressed. I got an ultrasound that showed a nodule with calcification. The biopsy came back no cancer, but it said that it has to be watched because it can turn into cancer. The concern that I have is that I have a vitamin B and D deficiency and because of that I have to take supplements. Prescriptions alone with over the counter. Super Vitamin B has biotin in it and so does my keratin /collagen vitamin. I didn’t know that Biotin supplements could affect my Thyroid test T3, T4 and TSH. I also didn’t know that vitamin D supplements could affect ATPO and ATG, this day I took this test I accidentally took to many because I couldn’t remember if I had taken my prescription which made my D abnormal high, which probably made my test false negative. It showed autoimmune antibodies, but not enough to say I have Hashimoto. There is a possibility that all my test could be a false negatives meaning that my biopsy could be a false negative. What is your intake on this and if anyone else has this experience.

Jump to this post

I’m very sorry but I really have never heard of the situation and my suggestion would be to discuss this with your endocrinologist. Hope you feel better soon!!!

REPLY

I’ll try my best to make this short. I tried communicating with my doctor with an issue I was having with my throat. Nothing came from it so after some time a nurse practitioner noticed something about my neck and started asking me questions and she described the strangulation feeling I had been having, which had been causing me difficulty sleeping and eating. With these flair ups it had caused me to get really bad acne and it sucked all my motivation away and I’ve become really depressed. I got an ultrasound that showed a nodule with calcification. The biopsy came back no cancer, but it said that it has to be watched because it can turn into cancer. The concern that I have is that I have a vitamin B and D deficiency and because of that I have to take supplements. Prescriptions alone with over the counter. Super Vitamin B has biotin in it and so does my keratin /collagen vitamin. I didn’t know that Biotin supplements could affect my Thyroid test T3, T4 and TSH. I also didn’t know that vitamin D supplements could affect ATPO and ATG, this day I took this test I accidentally took to many because I couldn’t remember if I had taken my prescription which made my D abnormal high, which probably made my test false negative. It showed autoimmune antibodies, but not enough to say I have Hashimoto. There is a possibility that all my test could be a false negatives meaning that my biopsy could be a false negative. What is your intake on this and if anyone else has this experience.

REPLY
Profile picture for jondajess @jondajess

I went in for a smokers CT scan. They found a nodule in my lung and had me get a pet/ct scan which led to a needle biopsy showing the nodule was papillary thyroid cancer. The pet/ct scan showed no avid take up around my thyroid and my thyroid levels were normal only a few months earlier.
I had a thyroid CT a week and a half ago and from what I could understand, there had been on lymph node on the right side previously active but no longer.
I'm curious as to what hey are going to do?
Is standard procedure to remove the thyroid even if thyroid levels are normal?
I have an appointment with the best Endocrine Cancer Surgeon in my area who uses real time fluoroscopy that shows every cancer cell in and around a tumor/nodule during surgery.
How difficult is it to live without your thyroid?
How well does a synthetic regulate body functions like temperature?
Thank You
PS I'm 76
Been type 2 diabetic for almost 20 years, had a spine infection that destroyed T-10 and T-11 a few years back, bladder quit squeezing a year ago and the thyroid CT showed severe stenosis in C-4 and C-5. Good shape, yes?

Jump to this post

You are definitely on the right track going to the proper doctors. For me I had my thyroid removed 25 years ago and I’m taking thyroid medication and I am doing absolutely fine!!! my very best wishes to you!!!

REPLY

I went in for a smokers CT scan. They found a nodule in my lung and had me get a pet/ct scan which led to a needle biopsy showing the nodule was papillary thyroid cancer. The pet/ct scan showed no avid take up around my thyroid and my thyroid levels were normal only a few months earlier.
I had a thyroid CT a week and a half ago and from what I could understand, there had been on lymph node on the right side previously active but no longer.
I'm curious as to what hey are going to do?
Is standard procedure to remove the thyroid even if thyroid levels are normal?
I have an appointment with the best Endocrine Cancer Surgeon in my area who uses real time fluoroscopy that shows every cancer cell in and around a tumor/nodule during surgery.
How difficult is it to live without your thyroid?
How well does a synthetic regulate body functions like temperature?
Thank You
PS I'm 76
Been type 2 diabetic for almost 20 years, had a spine infection that destroyed T-10 and T-11 a few years back, bladder quit squeezing a year ago and the thyroid CT showed severe stenosis in C-4 and C-5. Good shape, yes?

REPLY

Hi Colleen thank you so so much for your help I appreciate it so much!!!

REPLY
Profile picture for lindaadele @lindaadele

Need help to join the thyroid cancer support group not very good with this tech stuff would appreciate any help you can give me!!!

Jump to this post

Hi @lindaadele, I moved your post to this discussion that you started in the Thyroid Cancer support group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/thyroid-cancer/ .

Thank you for joining the conversations here. If you'd like more help about using the site, see:
- Help Center https://connect.mayoclinic.org/help-center/
🙂

REPLY

Need help to join the thyroid cancer support group not very good with this tech stuff would appreciate any help you can give me!!!

REPLY

Thank you for the advice. It just drives me nuts and I won't be telling anyone except my husband what's going on because if you tell everyone you're sure you have cancer and then don't. They will never believe you anymore!! LOL.
Thank you for reminding me!

REPLY
Profile picture for janagain @janagain

Thank you for letting us know if we have questions. I love that approach. And boy, do I have questions. I'm going in for a fine needle biopsy on Sept 18th. I'm worried because I have a #4 TRIAD which describes it as moderately suspicious.
Here are the findings: 1.2cm right thyroid nodule .
Right Lobe: 4.4 X 2.2 X 1.6cm. Does this mean I have 2 nodules?
Nodule 1 Location: inderior. size 1.3
composition: Mixed cystic Solid (1 pt)
Echogenicity: Isoechoic (1pt)
Taller than Wide: NO (0 pt)
Margins: Smooth (0 pt)
Echogenic foci: Punctate calcifications (3pt) Macrocalcifications (1 pt)
Doesn't that total 6 points? I thought 5 was the highest number. Well .. I feel like it's not looking too good here and I think I've got a lot going on. I'm scheduled for a fine needle biopsy on Sept 18th. I've never heard of the TRIAD's before but I do see the purpose of the categories. However, my TSH was normal. Just feeling a little nervous.
Any information you have is vital, thank you.
Janagain

Jump to this post

After you have a fine needle aspiration your best bet is to wait till the doctor gives you the results instead of worrying about them! I’m one of those warriors and I learned your best bet is to get the results speak to your doctor and ask the doctor whatever questions you have at that time. Good luck to you moving forward!!!

REPLY
Profile picture for janagain @janagain

oops... I found the 2nd page
ISHMUS: 0.3 cm AP
Normal appearing lymph nodes at the right level 4 and left level 3 stations

Jump to this post

After you get the results from your surgery (Pathology report it is a good idea to discuss the results with your Doctor Who is in charge!!! I can remember looking over my results and they sounded so horrible I thought I was gonna be dead very soon as it turns out the doctor looked at it and he said no problem. My suggestion to you is please please please discuss the results of any reports you get from the lab or whatever with your doctor because they look at it in a whole different way than you will look at it I learn that way back. My very best wishes to you going forward.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.