Thyroid Cancer

[CrazyHarry]

I completed my epic battle with Stage IIa rectal cancer last year and now I just found out that I have stage 3 papillary thyroid cancer.

Anyone else lucky enough to have this happen to them. There are a couple people in my local support groups who or on a similar journey.

[Val*pal]

About a year after my husband was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I'm assuming it was Stage III or IV since it had spread to the lymph nodes. He had total thyroid removal, plus many lymph nodes were removed as well. A couple months later he underwent radioactive iodine txt. He's now on Synthroid and there are no real issues with that now -- though there is an additional node that keeps lighting up. I asked the Dr if the cancers are related and she said technically no since the thyroid tumor did not contain the same colon cancer cells. However, she indicated that it's possible there's some connection not identified to date.

The thyroid surgery was a breeze compared to the colon surgery, even though they had to cut downwards to remove the string of lymph nodes.

Has your onc said anything about a possible connection to your colo-rectal cancer?

If you have any questions regarding my husband's thyroid surgery, please feel free to ask.

Sorry you have to go through this. Cancer sucks.

[Nickmark59]

My wife was Dx with stage III thyroid had a 5 CM mass on here thyroid after I was Dx with stage IV Colorectal and we are both still here by grace of god

[Val*pal]

Nick, I'm sorry your wife has had to go through thyroid cancer. You'd think one person being sick in the family is enough.

However, papillary thyroid cancer is extremely treatable and rarely life threatening. I wish my DH ONLY had the papillary thyroid cancer, but alas he also has colon cancer. I know that any kind of cancer, thyroid included, is frightening and the treatments (surgery, radioactive iodine treatments) are not what anyone wants to experience, but there's no comparison to that and colon cancer surgery and chemo. He's been very fortunate that the Synthroid he takes daily has kept his thyroid function at very good levels. He will continue to see his thyroid specialist yearly, but so far so good.

[CRguy]

I asked the Dr if the cancers are related and she said technically no since the thyroid tumor did not contain the same colon cancer cells. However, she indicated that it's possible there's some connection not identified to date.

You raise a very good point here. I'll try to dig out a reference I found which discusses higher risks of developing other cancers ( and other health problems ) once we have been through the standard treatment regimens for CRC. Metastasis is certainly always a consideration we worry about, BUTT ..... chemo, radiation, CT scans/xrays still present their own risks for further problems down the road.

ME ???? I am good with being here so far to be ABLE to take my chances down the road !
I am not going to sweat the "what ifs" but I will realistically accept the potential risks.
JMO.

Cheers All
CRguy

[Val*pal]

CRGuy - I don't think I saved it, but I did read one article that suggested impaired thyroid function may be a link to the cause of some colon cancers. It was a theory that did not have a lot of substantiating data, but it was interesting. My husband's family is riddled with thyroid problems. I mentioned to my husband's oncologist once that I thought it had to be more than coincidental that 1 year after his colon cancer diagnosis he was also diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She nodded and said she agreed, but that at this time there is no known link. I've noticed there are a few people on this board who have had similar experiences: colon/thyroid cancer.

[Mommato4boys]

I had stage 3 papillary/ follicular variant thyroid cancer. Had radioactive iodine treatments twice. Now I'm fighting stage 4 colon cancer. My endocrinologist said that the radioactive iodine treatment may have caused my colon cancer because I had 2 very high treatment doses that they don't give patients anymore. I also have the BRAF mutation, which is also found in thyroid cancer and malignant melanoma. There is an awesome online support group called Thyca, for thyroid cancer patients. Thyca has an annual conference in October. I highly recommend going to the conference. It is well attended by over 200 people from many countries, endocrinologists, surgeons and radiologists.