Hopeful Through Thyroid Cancer
- Bachelorette star Ali Fedotowsky-Manno and her husband Kevin Manno, declaring themselves “open books” on social media, disclosed some personal health news on Sunday: 41-year-old Kevin, a TV and radio host, has thyroid cancer, which is “thankfully very treatable.”
- Thyroid cancer is a disease that begins in the thyroid gland, which is at the base of the neck. The cancer will often present itself as a large bump (tumor) in the neck. It remains unclear what causes the disease. Some symptoms of thyroid cancer can be mistaken for a common cold.
- It’s important to remember that coping with a diagnosis like cancer or other illness is not easy and usually brings a string of emotions, even if it’s a more hopeful scenario as in Kevin’s case. There’s still the stress of juggling appointments and treatment, surgery, recovery time, financial stress, etc.
- After a partner receives a cancer diagnosis, it’s very fair to experience a wide range of emotions like anger, fear, sadness and more, but it’s important to try to do your best to take care of yourself while also prioritizing your partner’s needs. SurvivorNet’s comprehensive mental health guide can help.
Thyroid cancer, according to Mayo Clinic, is a growth of cells that starts in the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck. It is typically slow-growing.
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Ali, who has had a skin cancer scare in the past, nervously half-joked that he was perhaps a little “too positive.” It’s understandable for a spouse to feel a bit apprehensive, as any type of cancer diagnosis is difficult, regardless of its more or less favorable reputation. The couple has two children together, Molly Sullivan, 8, and Riley Doran, 6 .
‘We Don’t Want to Downplay’ Cancer
“We don’t want to downplay what cancer is or what it means,” Ali said, although it did “bring a lot of optimism” that Kevin’s doctor referred to it as a “boring” cancer, even though it has potentially spread into a lymph node. “Which is still easy to remedy,” Kevin pointed out.
In Ali’s caption on their shared announcement, she explained that it is papillary thyroid cancer, which Cleveland Clinic describes as the “most common” type, and “usually has an excellent” prognosis. Treatment is “most commonly surgery, and is often successful.”
“Thankfully it’s a very treatable cancer. He has 2 malignant spots on his right side and it appears it is also in one lymph node, but we won’t know for sure until his surgery.”
“Please share any experiences you have with thyroid cancer,” Ali continued, “and we are specifically curious about stories related to whether or not you or someone you know had their full thyroid or half of it removed with the cancer only on one side.”
“If the surgeon gets in there and determines the whole thing has to be removed regardless, we will of course move forward with that. But going into the surgery, he has a choice to be aggressive or leave half if possible.”
“Thank you all for the love and support you’ve always shown us,” she concluded the post with a heart emoji. “We are grateful.”
Building a Network of Thyroid Cancer Survivors
As requested, many followers jumped in to describe their own experiences with thyroid cancer, mostly all very positive, and shared helpful, detailed guidance on what their medical journeys entailed.
“My 28-year-old cousin was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and the doctor said the same thing to her about if you’re going to get cancer, this is the ‘best’ one to get,” one fan wrote. “They removed her entire thyroid just to be on the safe side. It was a quick and easy procedure with just a tiny scar on her neck and she was back to living her normal life a week later!”
Talking about your cancer with fellow survivors — and of course, doctors — is always a good idea to learn more about what options you have.
‘Be your own advocate,’ says Dr. Zuri Murrell
As with any disease, the more informed you are, from gaining knowledge from medical experts and from patient stories, the more empowered you will be through the process, and hopefully getting the best outcome moving forward.
Recognizing Thyroid Cancer Symptoms
Thyroid cancer is a disease that begins in the thyroid gland, which is at the base of the neck. The cancer will often present itself as a large bump (tumor) in the neck. It remains unclear what causes the disease. Some symptoms of thyroid cancer can be mistaken for a common cold.
Dr. Scott Strome, a head and neck cancer surgeon who is currently the dean of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, and previous chair of head and neck surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, explained thyroid cancer in an earlier interview with SurvivorNet.
“We’re now able to detect thyroid disease, thyroid cancers, much earlier than we used to be able to,” Dr. Strome said. “We tend to see it predominantly in younger women, but it can occur in both men and women. In most cases, I tell my patients that, ‘Your thyroid cancer is a barnacle on the ship of life.'”
Thyroid Cancer: Know the Signs
Dr. Strome suggests finding an experienced thyroid expert for treatment.
“Folks who have thyroid cancer, they need to go to a really experienced thyroid setting and have folks who really understand the disease. Those are for the most indolent type of thyroid cancers, called papillary,” he explained.
“Thyroid cancer is a pretty interesting disease, because papillary is a really indolent cancer. On the other end of the spectrum, you have what’s called anaplastic thyroid cancer, which may be one of (if not the) most aggressive cancers that we see. So it’s a whole spectrum of disease.”
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Treatments for thyroid cancer can include surgery, hormone therapy, radioactive iodine, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer include the following:
- A lump in the neck, sometimes growing quickly
- Swelling in the neck
- Pain in the front of the neck, sometimes going up to the ears
- Hoarseness or other voice changes that do not go away
- Trouble swallowing
- Trouble breathing
- A constant cough that is not due to a cold
“Most people have no discrete symptoms; the majority of cases now are found incidentally,” Dr. Allen Ho, an ENT at Cedars-Sinai, said in a previous interview with SurvivorNet.
“However, a sizable number of people may first discover their cancer when they feel a bump on their neck. Other possible late symptoms include problems swallowing, the sensation of something in their throat, neck compression when laying flat or voice changes.”
The good news is that many of these possible symptoms, including lumps in the thyroid, are both common and commonly benign — but it never hurts to ask your doctor.
Chances of cancer recovery increase significantly with early detection, so it’s important to address any warning signs of thyroid cancer, or any cancer for that matter, with a medical expert swiftly.
Coping With a Diagnosis
It’s important to remember that coping with a diagnosis like cancer or other illness is not easy and usually brings a string of emotions, even if it’s a more hopeful scenario as discussed above. There’s still the stress of juggling appointments and treatment, surgery, recovery time, financial stress, etc.
People can feel angry, sad, or determined, and it’s completely normal. Sarah Stapleton, a licensed clinical social worker, encourages cancer warriors and their families to be “patient with your emotions.”
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“It’s also important that you understand how you communicate with your providers, but also with your loved ones,” Stapleton previously told SurvivorNet.
“We can’t always assume that people know what we need at a given time, and there are going to be times when you don’t want to speak about your diagnosis and you don’t want to speak about cancer.”
Coping When a Partner is Diagnosed With Cancer
After a partner receives a cancer diagnosis, it’s very fair to experience a wide range of emotions. Anger, fear, sadness and anxiety are often a part of the equation, but it’s important to try to do your best to take care of yourself while also prioritizing your partner’s needs. And if you’re looking for some ways to cope, check out these suggestions below:
- Consider seeing a therapist to share the feelings you’re dealing with.
- Openly discuss the diagnosis with your spouse if they are willing to discuss.
- Research the disease and learn about potential treatment paths for your partner.
- Be involved as a caregiver. “I encourage caregivers to come in to visits with my patients, because in that way, the caregiver is also listening to the recommendations what should be done in between these visits, any changes in treatment plans, any toxicities [side effects] that we need to look out for, changes in dietary habits, exercise, etc.,” Dr. Jayanthi Lea, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
- Think about joining a support group to connect with people in a similar situation.
- Try to stay positive when you can. “The only advice I have for anyone watching this is laugh and laugh often, laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself seriously. Things are already bad. Because once you do that, it’s a game-changer,” Jesus Trejo, a stand up comedian who took care of his parents during their cancer battles, previously told SurvivorNet.
- Take care of yourself and find ways to express your emotions. “I try to stay strong, but then sometimes you just want to go and cry, and you need to cry; it’s good to cry,” Jayne Wexler, a caregiver who took care of her son when he battled cancer, previously told SurvivorNet
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