Papillary cancer in several lymph nodes

Have not had a secondary bi lateral neck surgery, but was told that a secondary surgery is more complex because the scar tissue from the first surgery interferes with the second surgery.
It is vital to consult a high-volume head and neck or specialized surgeon at an advanced medical center to review your specific imaging and recurrence patterns.

I agree, thank you

Had a thyroglossal tumor removed 6 months ago along with with a total thyroidectomy, then did RAI 131. Now it has returned into several lymph nodes and apparently they are on both sides of my neck. Being told the only option is a Bi Lateral neck dissection with scans to follow months later. Has anyone had a similar situation? Many thanks, Mike

Thank you

Hi. I am sorry you are going through a second round of active cells. My circumstances were different. I never had RAI. I had radiology and chemotherapy after my thyroidectomy.
I am commenting to say that I have been following RAI stories and it is not always successful.
Also, from reading about thyroid cancer stories for several years now, most important is to have a highly experienced thyroid cancer team - surgeon and oncologists. These teams have seen it all. They know what they are doing. Although each person is different, the specialists have enough experience to develop a plan to address the recurrence.
If you have a team you trust, then trust them. If not, consider a second opinion.

@kmlnj

Good morning, I hope you’re doing well and you are fully recovered. I couldn’t agree with you more, I am at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, I do feel I’m at the right place. I guess time will tell. Thanks for your reply.

Yes. The radiation and chemotherapy did the job. I have no activity. But I am very tired due to hypothyroidism.
I was with Memorial Sloan Kettering.

I think that’s the other really tough part, trying to get the right balance of medication after words. You just don’t feel the same anymore. They’ve adjusted mine a few times but just don’t seem right. I didn’t realize chemo was an option, did you have papillary cancer? I’m being told that I need a bi lateral radical dissection to surgically remove these lymph nodes. I had a rare thyroglossal tumor that was undetected for years and was malignant and high grade. Believe it or not it was as big as a baseball, it looked like I swallowed a ball. It was very aggressive and in Delaware no one had done this surgery before so I went to Penn in Philly.