My ENT who did the surgery said he wasn't sure what the ENDO would recommend . I had multiple microscopic spots of Papillary. The ENDO recommend it and 4 months later I don't regret for a minute doing it.

I think that if you are under 1cm or even better under 10mm, they consider it less of a risk to recur. I had 8mm on the left lobe and 3 less than 5 mm on the right, which makes mine multifocal papillary microcarcinoma, I was still able to discuss whether or not I wanted to do RAI, I chose to wait. I have no spread to my lymph nodes which they biopsied after my TT. Talk to your doctor about it, my Endo made me feel very comfortable with my decision. She said I should do just fine with high dose synthroid. She also said we would stay right on top of it and it wouldn't hurt at all to do the RAI down the road, should I need it. Good Luck.

Actually it is any stage 1 or 2 that has not spread beyond the thyroid now, they are doing less and less RAI as it often does more harm than good. Mainly if they didn't get all the cancer out then they need to do RAI.

my main tumor was only about 1cm. After half thyroid removal and discovering several more smaller tumors, all with papillary and follicular characteristics, then removal of the other half of thyroid. More several small ones found there, same as other side. Some were very close to the membrane edge which had the path. report state that this causes concern for spread. All this, that it was on both sides, my age (49) etc...made me a recommened canditate for the RIA. There are so many factors, not just the size.

Thank you for mentioning that age is a factor in RAI treatment. My tumor was 2 cm. when found, and due to insurance delays by the time surgery occurred 10 weeks later, it had become diffuse, 4 cm. on one side and 7 on the other. It was getting ready to spread like wildfire, obviously. Between that fact (even though my lymph glands were clear) and being over age 50 (51 at the time) I had RAI.

For me, knowing I was fighting back with everything at my disposal was worth all the treatment horrors. And one year later, when I had another body scan and was found to be cancer-free, I had reason to celebrate.

Since battling cancer I have continued my career, dated several nice people, gone camping in Denali, Alaska by myself, bought an inflatable raft and taken it on lakes, and just in general pursued a personal commitment to enjoy this gift of continued life that I have.

To my way of thinking, I was helped by RAI.

The size of my tumors were also around 1cm...but because of my age and size of tumor and size of cancer...I fell in the Low Risk group that I did not need the RAI....