A family member I have no contact with has announced they have thyroid cancer but they are not doing surgery.
What might this mean? Is it at a stage they are just watching to see what is going on?
Is it too far progressed to be of any medical help to take the thyroid out?
There are many different kinds of thyroid cancer and I do not have any idea what kind it is. I am confused about the not doing surgery and am assuming it is terminal at the point it was found.
He's older, born in 1944, contact has been stopped between us for several years.
He did not indicate they were doing any sort of treatment but did specify they were not doing surgery. Some sort of chemo is plausible but I think he would have mentioned that to the person they were discussing this with, I am sure they would have asked. They're just that sort, rather blunt and they would have wanted to know. But they didn't say anything about any other sort of treatment.
I had heard thyroid was pretty easy to treat but what I was googling was confusing and contradictory. I know there are a lot of people on here who have had it themselves or family with some form of it so that is why I asked.
I don't want to assume it is terminal. But I really don't know much about this type of situation. Thank you everyone for the information.
Gamma:
Some cancers do NOT have to have surgery. They can usually treat thyroid cancer with chemotherapy, although it ALL depends upon the cancer, patient, etc.
The thyroid plays a VERY important role in our body - it regulates our metabolism so IF it gets removed - it is a lifetime of medication.
I would ask my family member what support she needs from me and pray for her!! Good luck!!
It is my understanding that if you have to have cancer thyroid cancer is the one to have since it is one of the most treatable with a high cure rate.
My friend had it when she was in her early 30's. She had surgery to remove it and had to have iodine treatments which were not fun. She was radioactive and could not be around people.
Perhaps they are having radioation treatments?
My grandmother had thyroid cancer in the 1970s and fully recovered. Treatment is often very successful.
It is my understanding the treatments for this cancer are very successful and very, very few people die of thyroid cancer..
My first question is how old is this person. Generally speakingnifmyou have to have cancer thyroid is the one to have. However, elderly people often have the more serious kind. Usually the thyroid is ALWAYS taken out.
An age would help me to give you more info.
We would not know why your family member is not having surgery. I suggest that you ask them. Do not assume it's terminal. There are also new ways of treating cancer.
It is appropriate to ask for more information. It shows that you care.
Maybe you can get some satisfactory information from the American Cancer Society. You can speak with an actual person.
