Thyroid Archives

03 Jun 2024

8 Comments

Living with Cancer – Turning points

Awareness, Inspiration, Living with Neuroendocrine CancerCarcinoid syndrome, Hypothyroidism, Lanreotide, Metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer, Neuroendocrine, Neuroendocrine tumour (NET), Quality of LIfe (QoL), Thyroid

In 2014, Chris and I completed the 84-mile route of 2000 year old World Heritage site of 'Hadrian's Wall' in Northern England. Some people saw this is a charity walk and a chance to make some money for a good cause. It was. However, it was MUCH MORE than that. Much much more. A few months before this trek, I had come to a crossroads and I was unsure which direction to go. That anguish and a thousand other things were contributing to a degradation of my overall health, it felt threatening. I was not that long out of the…

09 Oct 2023

By Ronny Allan

7 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer: Troublesome Thyroids (Updated 2026 Edition)

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, TreatmentAnaplastic, Axillary nodes, Calcitonin, Calcium, Core Biopsy, Familial medullary thyroid cancer (FMTC), Fine needle aspiration (FNA), Follicular cell, Ga68 PET/CT, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto's disease, Hurthle cell neoplasm, Hyperthryroidism, Hypothyroidism, Levothyroxine, Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), MEN1 syndrome, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN), Overactive thyroid, Papillary thyroid cancer, Parathyroid gland, SCF node, Supraclavicularfossa, Thyroid, Thyroid cancer, Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), Thyroxine (T4), Triiodothyronine (T3), Underactive thyroid

Thyroid information disclaimerThis content is for general education and reassurance only. It is not a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Thyroid nodules, thyroid function tests, cytology categories (Bethesda/THY), and molecular tests (such as ThyroSeq, Afirma, or ThyroidPrint) all require interpretation by qualified clinicians who know your full medical history, imaging, pathology, and symptoms. Thyroid disease is common and highly individual. Most nodules are benign, and many thyroid abnormalities are incidental findings — especially in people who undergo frequent imaging. Decisions about biopsy, molecular testing, surgery, or surveillance should always be made with your endocrinologist, surgeon, or multidisciplinary…

04 Sep 2022

By Ronny Allan

0 Comments

Thyroid nodules – something or nothing?

Patient AdvocacyNodule, Thyroid, Thyroid cancer, Thyroid nodule

I came across this excellent summary of Thyroid nodules from the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons which links to a similar European one. It confirms much of what I wrote in my blog post "Troublesome Thyroids" in regard to my own thyroid issues. I'm thankful to the AAES for promoting this on social media. I wanted to focus on the issue of Thyroid nodules given I see these mentioned all the time in my online patient group. Clearly, when you already have a cancer diagnosis, the discovery of more issues on top of that is of concern to patients. Many…

20 Dec 2017

By Ronny Allan

5 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer – surveillance and follow up

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, SurvivorshipBiopsy, Grade, Hormones, Malabsorption, Metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer, NET syndromes, Neuroendocrine, Neuroendocrine cancer, Neuroendocrine tumour (NET), Quality of LIfe (QoL), Surgery, Surveillance, Thyroid, Tumour marker, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D

Since 2010 I've had a lot of surveillance and testing. More than people can imagine. I can see from various comments on my public pages and posts within my private group, that some people get a lot more than me and I get more than others. It's not true to say we all get the same, there are many factors including stage, grade, type of Neuroendocrine Neoplasm, healthcare system/guidelines, miscellaneous problems, therapy, and even age.In the first year or two after diagnosis, I seemed to be in a continuous testing phase but that was mainly due to seeing so many…

14 May 2015

By Ronny Allan

8 Comments

Chasing normality

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, TreatmentBlood clot, Clexane, DEXA scan, Lanreotide, Multidisciplinary team (MDT), Pulmonary embolism, Quality of LIfe (QoL), Scan, Somatostatin analogues, Stable cancer, Surgery, Thyroid, Vitamin D

Cancer isn’t always a one-time event. It can be a chronic (ongoing) illness, much like diabetes or heart disease. Cancer can be closely watched and treated, but sometimes it never completely goes away. The cancer may be 'controlled' with treatment, meaning it might seem to go away or stay the same, and it doesn’t grow or spread as long as you are getting appropriate treatment. Sometimes the treatment shrinks the cancer, but the cancer is still there – it doesn’t go away and stay away – it’s not cured. More people are living with cancer than ever before and the ratio…

Tag: Thyroid