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There are actually four types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Papillary and follicular are usually the easiest to treat and rarely fatal. Medullary and anaplastic are more aggressive forms for thyroid cancer that are generally fatal. Anaplastic is more aggressive than medullary.

I honestly don't know how he could have 3 forms of thyroid cancer, unless he has had it for so long that it has changed into the other forms. It is possible that he has papillary with a follicular variant and Hashimoto's as well (Hashi's is an autoimmune disorder where your body attacks the thyroid). I suspect he has papillary or follicular since you mentioned he'll be having radioactive iodine treatments. I had papillary and am approaching surgery #6, very vrey uncommon for this form of cancer. But my doctors now suspect I had a follicular variant because of how my cancer is acting.

The radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment itself is painless. He'll swallow a pill or liquid and be one his way. He will need to be isolated for at least 3 days since he'll be radioactive. Prior to the treatment, he shold also go on a low iodine diet to deplete his body of iodine so the remaining thyroid cells eat up the RAI. Shortly after the RAI, he'll be able to start taking Synthroid, which is a synthentic form of thyroid hormone. He'll be feeling pretty tired and likely irritated until he gets a good stock of thyroid hormone back in his body.

If he has one of the more aggressive forms as well, he'll need to be treated with chemo and/or a neck dissection as discussed with this ENT.

Check out these sites for even more information:

www.thyca.org

www.endocrineweb.com

www.thyroid.com

www.livestrong.org

Best of luck to him!

My friend just had thyroid cancer and had both removed. She had to drink a bottle of radiation and she was in quarantine for a week. She also wasn't allowed any iodine in her body a week before treatment.Now she is very tired and couldn't keep any food down for awhile. She is now on the health pack and she said it is giving her more energy. I guess it is building her cells again. I know it's not nice but she is only 48 yrs. old. I hope the best for him and I will add him in my prayers....I have a web site he could have a look at,I know it is very good. www.sanoviv.com Let him do some reading...

You can read more on thyca.org. It has great info.

The three types are :

papilary, folicular and anaplastic.

Papilary is the most common and easiest to treat.

Folicular is similar only it spreads in a finger way - shooting out into the lymph nodes like fingers. It is fast growing and harder to treat.

Anaplastic occurs in older people and is, sadly, very hard to treat and very difficult to survive.

I have had thyroid cancer for 2 years now - I have had 2 surgeries and am going in for another one next month. I did the iodine radiation, but it didn't work well. Mine spread to my lymph nodes and grows fast. I do not have anaplastic but I have folicular and papilary.

It is hard because you loose so much control over your body - you loose your energy and your teperature control and your memory, etc. Your thyroid controls all of your metabolism functions, so it's hard to keep your body normal after it's out, even with medicine.

It is also hard because they never consider you cured from thyroid cancer. It is easy to treat because of the iodine radiation treatment, however it also comes back a lot - so most people who survive thyroid cancer will have recurrences and will have multiple surgeries and multiple radiation treatments -

someone once told me that it's like diabetes - it won't kill you, but you have to do what your docs say and stay on top of it if you want to stay alive. It will be with you every day.

I am sorry for your mom's boyfriend - he probably has a hard road ahead. I will think of him - good luck.

yahoogroups has a thyroid cancer support group you could join to get help, info and support. I have never heard of having all three types at once. Fortunately thyroid cancer is one of the most survivable of all cancers. He'll under go radioactive iodine treatment about 4-6weeks after his second surgery. I belong to a thyroid support group. I had half of my thyroid out but mine wasn't cancerous.

good info on thyroid conditions can be found at thyroid.about.com and there is a thyroid cancer society too.

There is a large cancer survivor community on livestrong.com. They have a section devoted to thyroid cancer. You might want to check there (see source link). Good luck to your family.

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