Brief Answer:
NOT TO WORRY

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Goodday.
First of all let me tell you that papillary carcinoma of thyroid is a slow growing tumour and can be well treated or cured. Please dont panic. It is not a bad cancer.

What you had was a micropapillary papillary thyroid cancer, which is unifocal and the type is oncocytic variety. This means that, you had a tumour which is less than one cm in size, which is confined to a single site ( unifocal) ( where as multifocal means more than one site). This tumour was small and didn't involve the capsule or vessel. This means that tumour spread outside the current site is unlikely. Oncoytic variant is not an aggressive type compared to many other varients of papillary cancer ( the other types are tall cell, classic varient etc).

Regarding further follow up.
1) you had total thyroidectomy. Now we need to assess the remaining areas in your neck and if the tumour is completely removed or not. We do a nulear scan approximately 6 weeks after the surgery to find out if there is any trace of thyroid tissue left in neck and if there is a remote possibility of tumour spread to a lymphnode. We also need to do a blood tests for TSH, Free T4, Thyroglobulin, Anti Thyroglobulin antibody. Your further course of action is based on this.

Based on the finding in nuclear scan, your endocrinologist will decide what to do next. He may opt for just treat you with Levothyroxine or give you radio iodine ablation, which is just taking a radio iodine tab/liquid by mouth. This is not at all painfull or complicated.

Your doctor may also opt to do an ultrasound of neck as well. These decisions are based on many factors and is best left to the treating doctor.

2) Now that you had total thyroidectomy, you need yto be started on Levothyroxine replacement for rest of your life. This is again a small tablet in morning which is a completely safe tablet. We ususally give a higher dose than normal in thyroid cancer to keep your TSH suppressed. This is to reduce the chance of regrowth of thyroid tissue. In your case, since the tumour was so small, this high dose may not be required, but again, the decision is best left to your endocrinologist. These are grey areas and each doctor has his policy based on local guidelines.

Further follow up is based on the initial treatment. However it is mainly a blood test after 6 months of initial treatment foloowed by an ultrasound or nuclear scan. If i discuss further, you will get confused. BE assured that, it is not an aggressive cancer and is easiy treable and possibly cured. Find out a good endocrinologist with experience in treating thyroid cancer and discuss with him. I am sure that he will guide you well.

Wish you all the best. If you need further clarifications, please feel free too ask

Kind Regards
Binu

---

Brief Answer:
Good luck

Detailed Answer:
Thank you and wish you good health

---