I too have had thyroid problems. Diagnosed with goitre 22 years ago and have taken 150 mcg thyroxine eversince. Had total thyroidectomy five years ago when they also found a parathyroid adenoma. I also had what they now call policystic ovary syndrome, which is also hormonal.
Hi everyone,
Thing is my bc is non-hormonal triple neg and i have been diagnosed with underactive thyroid 3 months ago, and they are just getting it under control now, i didn,t think there could be a link till now as i had bc over 17yrs ago previous and had no problem, but i had noticed over the yrs that my throat and neck was looking a bit swollen, then i was diagnosed oct 07 again and had mast and full node clearance it wasn,t till i had finished chemo that i was diagnosed with throid problem and i am currently on thyroxine 75mls, but i am having problems shifting the weight.
What i am trying to say is hormonal or not do you think there is a link with not just the bc but mabe with the chemo causing the imbalance, i don,t know what do you think.
Hi everyone
I too was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid early in 2006 and put on block/replace medication. I was then diagnosed with BC in Oct of the same year. Hadn’t realised there was a link - but do now. I have hormone receptive cancer - I know about HER2 but have not heard of triple neg cancer - can someone enlighten me please?
Triple negative is where you are her2-, pr-, and er-, ie completely non-hormonal
Thank you roadrunner - now I know. xx
Evening
I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid in 1994 following the birth of my second child. I have just reduced from 250mcg - YES 250! down to 225 as I had become over active.
Mum had BC at 40 but her thyroid was fine, I am 39 and was diagnosed in Dec with grade 1 cancer, going in on 22nd to have the ‘beast’ cut out.
Kind regards to all…Sharon x
I have been taking thyroxine for over twenty years as I had a goitre. I had total thyroidectomy five years ago, a parathyroid adenoma (growth on a parathyroid), I also had what they now call PCOS which is ovarian. Diagnosed with BC last year and just recently have had to increase my thyroxine dose for the first time in over 20 years. Sure does make you wonder!
Hi, I have had an underactive thyroid since the birth of my second child seven years ago, and taking 150mcg. dx bc March 07. It makes very interesting reading!
Hi all
I am glad to have found this thread.
I have been to the hospital today following blood tests and a request to see a consuant because I have been feeling quite poorly since January. I had began to worry my cancer had raised its ugly head again. Dx’d Nov 2005 2 recurrences, finished a years Herceptin last Dec.
Anyway, I was told my bone calcuim levels were raised so the consultant said it could mean I have thyriod problems ( underactive because I reported the extreme fatigue I have had lately).
I am also having a bone scan because of other aches I have.
It was a little confusing because the blood test showed no problem with markers or liver function test so I guess he is just belts and braces with the bone scan.
I have looked up to see if the Herceptin could have cause this problem. I am ER- so have no other drugs to take.
Well I guess I will know more in 3 weeks time! Oh the waiting.
Cheers all
Hi all
I too had an over active thyroid. Mine was diagnosed in 2000 and I was on carbimazole and beta blockers. I had to go into hospital because I had a very bad reaction to the carbimazole where i believe my white blood cells were affected and I was very ill. I took carbimazole for 2 years and was fortunate enough to stabalise the thyroid.
About Sept last year I went to my GP and asked for another check on my thyroid as i was experiencing some tiredness etc. The test came back ok. Last month I went for a routine mammogram (1st ever) and have just returned from hospital after having an invasive cancer tumour removed and SNB. Awaiting results now. Strange! Especially as th eyoung woman in the next bed to me had also had carbimazole for overactive thyroid in 2005???
Interesting thread. I am being investigated for thyroid problems at present, following a catalogue of symptoms, you are all probably very familiar with. I am wondering if the radiotherapy has affected its function, as I know the thyroid is sensitive to radiation, or if the tamoxifen can cause these symptoms.
Hi Helfire
I too wondered whether radiation may have triggered this problem as I had radiotherapy to the neck as well as chest.
I had my bone scan yesterday ( I asked for a quicker appointment and got it!), they inject a small dose of radioactive stuff into you for this. I guess I could have well and truly b***d my thyroid now!
Results next week, oh they waiting.
Carol
Ther are a number of studies into the relationship between thyroid production and Breast Cancer on the following site:
thyroid-info.com/articles/breast-cancer.htm
The summaries of 8 of these studies are that (these are direct quotations but if you go to the site it will link to further studies that clarify how the findings have been arrived at):
- A new study finds that treatment for thyroid cancer in younger women increases their risk for breast cancer five to twenty years later.
- This research suggests that thyroid hormone has a direct and crucial role in the development of breast cancer. “Thyroid hormone is a very powerful co-factor of experimental carcinogenesis. The role of thyroid hormone in human cancers has yet to be clearly elucidated.”
- These researchers found that there’s no clear evidence of a causal relationship - in that one disease causes the other - but there does appear to be an association between breast cancer and hypothyroidism, in particular. There’s also some evidence that dietary iodine may affect breast cancer risk, and there’s an increased likelihood of having breast cancer if one has an enlarged thyroid, known as a goiter.
- The prevalence of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism in patients with breast cancer versus those without breast cancer is very similar. Non-toxic goiter (an enlarged thyroid) was more than twice as common in the breast cancer patients; 45.5% of breast cancer patients had thyroid enlargement compared with only 10.5% of controls. And, antithyroid peroxidase autoantibodies were twice as common in breast cancer patients than in controls.
- This study found that use of thyroid supplements does not increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
- This study found that patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis had the lowest percent of deaths due to breast cancer, while those with nontoxic nodular goiter had the highest.
- This research found that the overall prevalence of thyroid disease was 46% in the breast cancer patients studied, versus 14% in the controls studied. The prevalence of nontoxic goiter was 27.4% in breast cancer patients, versus 11% in controls. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was found in 13.7% of breast cancer patients, and in 2% of the controls. The prevalence of thyroperoxidase (TPO) antibody was higher in breast cancer patients than in controls (23.5% vs. 8%). Overall, the study found that the prevalence of thyroid disorders is increased in patients with breast cancer, and thyroid autoimmune disorders, especially Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, account to a large extent for the increased prevalence of thyroid disease in patients with breast cancer.
- Post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer can damage the thyroid, so shielding of the thyroid is recommended during irradiation, as well as long-term follow-up of thyroid function with repeated thyroid testing.
Wow, thats really interesting, thanks for posting, it makes me more convinced there is a genetic basis for my cancer even though it is not known…
Cathy
hya everyone i have just had routine blood tests i was dx last may i am now on arimidex after i had been put through the menopause my doctor says that i am on the borderline for underactive thyroid this is wooying for me as i am putting on loads of weight since had cancer nearly a stone and its really starting to show i dont want to be over weight as this has never been a problem to me does anyone know if u can have treatment for it as my cancer was hormone grade 3 aggressive
jackie
xx
Hi everyone,
Any more details on thyroid problems? Not any particular one, just general thyroid problems. Symptoms, signs, etc…
~ Centa