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Does age 45 seem arbitrary for staging of papillary cancer?

Had modified neck dissection for papillary cancer 1/12.  Knew there was cancer is cervical lymph nodes, but path. report after surger found cancer in mediastinal nodes as well.  Also, capsular invasion of chest muscle.  With this diagnosis, if age 45 or older, the cancer would be stage IV; younger that 45, stage II.  Is it just me, or does it seem insane that age alone can change the prognosis of my disease, especially with the metastasis (also, my tumors were large - some more than 3cm)?  For the curious, I'm 37.  If I were 30, then the age thing would make me fell more optimistic, but at 37, that 45 year age cut-off isn't very reassuring.  Anybody have any thought/reasurrence?  I'm scared.

I start going hypo tomorrow, with my body scan scheduled for 2/28 and RAI 2/29, with a dose of 150mCi.  Terrified of going hypo, but what choice do I have, huh? :)
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359987 tn?1207673804
What does it mean "going hypo" on certain days?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks, Cheryl, for the welcome.

And Valerie, thanks for the reassurance.  I've read (and re-read) the info on the ACS site for weeks, but I guess until I get a clean scan, I'm not going believe it.  It can be pretty tiring trying to optimistic for myself, and my loved-ones.  It's easy to slip into pessimism.  (I just upped the dosage on my antidepressant!)  Nice that the board is here where we can put it all out there.

Good luck with the hypo, Valerie.  I'm on day two, and no problems, but I didn't expect anything this soon anyway.  I'm sleepless, too, but I think it's just from the anxiety anticipating hypo and RAI.  The mantra at our house is, just get through mid-March, and everything will be ok.

Thanks, ladies.

Stacey
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Avatar universal
The reason for the variation in staging has to do with prognosis.  It is true that 44 or 46 might have the same prognosis as 45 but you are far enough from that age that your age is not a factor.   It is NOT a random number.  On the ACS website they have a survival chart explaining this a bit better. "These numbers were derived from patients treated between 1985 and 1991. While they are among the most current numbers we have available, they represent people who were first diagnosed and treated at least 15 to 20 years ago. Improvements in treatment since then mean that the outlook for people now being diagnosed with these cancers is likely to be better."  

The chart shows that people under the age of 45 that were in that study group had 100% survival rate with Stage I and Stage II papillary cancer.  The reason you are in that age group is because all the studies of this type of cancer showed that the older population did not fare as well.  BUT be encouraged because ALL the people in your age group with that staging survived!!!!

  from the American Cancer Society website:  http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_thyroid_cancer_staged_43.asp

I'm 46 and had a TT on Jan 16 and right now hypo for the past two days waiting for the scan on 2/25.  So far I haven't had any problem going hypo, and I really was nervous about being exhausted.  In fact, the only problem I've had so far is not being able to sleep, which I thought was a symptom of over active thyroid, not under??!?!!?  go figure.

Blessings,

Valerie   (papillary carcinoma, multi-focal, T1N0Mx)
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
I don't know why age plays a role/factor but others on the board may know more ... just wanted to say hello and welcome you to the board

cheryl (papillary microcarinomas (2) jan07
Helpful - 0
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