Possible Link Between THYROID and BREAST CANCER

Teakie88

I wanted to start a discussion with breast cancer patients regarding research I have been doing on the link between thyroid dysfunction and breast cancer. What I am interested in learning is whether any of you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). I have hypothyroidism and have doing some reading on thyroid supplementation (like Synthroid or its generic, which I take), and which seems to have a bearing on developing breast cancer. It is suggested that low iodine levels in the body (hypo) cause this condition and that prescription medicines for it are not the answer at all; rather it is essential to raise iodine levels naturally. Any of you out there with breast cancer that are on thyroid medicine and tell us your history with it.

susan_02143

I went the other way... breast cancer first, then a diagnosis of Graves Disease 7 years after chemo. My sister followed the same path. I was severely hypo without symptoms, until they all rushed at me. I did resist this diagnosis to be honest. The drugs they gave me to "fix" this almost killed me, so I had my thyroid removed and now require Synthroid daily. I also have Thyroid Eye Disease. I hate everything about this disease. My eyes bulge and are dry. My face is puffy. It has aged my face a lot. Even close friends have been known to cringe when they see me on a bad day. I have to beg to get enough Synthroid to function. My sister and I are the only people to have had chemo at a younger age in our family, and the only two who have thyroid issues, and we both developed Graves at the same time period following chemo. Obviously, this is not a scientific study, but my endo finds the coincidences interesting. To completely answer your question, I pay more for Synthroid, not the generic, at the urging of my endo. She feels that the patients that she has who meander up and down the fatigue factor are generally the ones taking the generic drugs.

Short synopsis, but it is what I have this morning. *susan*

Kandy

I was diagnosed hypothyroid 5 years before I was diagnosed with Breast cancer. It would be interested to see if there really is a connection but I think it will be very difficult to prove because of so many variables.

slv58

Diagnosed hypo 4 months after tx. I felt I may have been years prior but my PCP never took my complaint of handfuls of hair coming out in the shower seriously. I really need a new PCP

MusicLover

I was never diagnosed with hypo or hyper but I have benign nodule on my thyroid and when I was diagnosed with breast cancer they thought that I had thyroid cancer also.  The biopsy sample needed to be sent for a special test.  I was told benign thyroid nodules are vey common so I am not sure that this applies.

Michele2013

Sorry to intrude, just wanted to say I had breast and thyroid cancer. Stage 1 for thyroid.

Michele

LindaE54

Started synthroid at 34 for hypo thyroid and diagnosed stage 4 breast cancer at 54.  Pet scan in March 2014 revealed a nodule on thyroid.  Biopsy results are Hurtle's cells which can be cancer or not.  Only removal with surgery would say.  Decided no surgery as it will not impact my stage 4 prognosis.  Recent ultrasound shows nodule is stable.

Linda

 

slv58

just want to apologize, I didn't realise this was stage 4 thread.

Teakie88

No problem slv58: we appreciated your input as it pertains to this subject. Ann

wrenn

I had half of my thyroid removed because of a tumour that was suspected to be cancer. A couple of days after follow up with thyroid surgeon when I found out it was benign I found my breast cancer. I am sure I had been hypothyroid for many years (the side that was removed hadn't been functioning) but I was officially diagnosed a few months after chemo. I am now on synthetic synthroid.

gemmafromlondon

I was diagnosed hyhpothyroid ten years before dx for bc and take thyroxine. I also have another autoimmune disease - lichen pillopilllaris which is a creeping frontal alopaecia.. I have read somewhere that autoimmune diseases are a risk factor for bc. but don't know how important this is.

Shutterbug73

I replied earlier but I guess my post didn't save. I've read about the possible link before and find it interesting.

I was dx with hypothyroid several years before my breast cancer dx and have been on Levothyroxine. My only known breast cancer risk factors were dense breasts and no children. There was no family history.

My mother was dx with hypothyroid a few years before I was, but she did not develop breast cancer.

Nancy2581

I was diagnosed hypo about 5 years prior to BC. I take Synthroid daily. My sister was diagnosed hypo long before me. No BC for her though thankfully

Nancy

debiann

I was dx with hypothyrodism 26 years before my bc dx. Hypothyrodism runs in my family, serveral of my aunts and cousins have it and so does my mom but I'm the only one with bc. 

Nomatterwhat

I wad diagnosed with hypothyroid about 7 years before BMX.  My mother has had no thyroid problems, but had BMX at the age of 80.   (Sorry, didn't realize it was for Stage IV only). 

LoriBach

I was dx'd with hypo 10 years prior to my BC.

kayrnic

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid at age 19. Was put on levothyroxin. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 28 and then again at 39.

scvmom65

I was diagnosed with hypo autoimmune (Hashimostos) at 28 during a 2nd pregnancy, developed bc at 44. I have been on Synthroid the entire time but after having my ovaries removed, my thyroid dr had to add 5 mg cytomel (t3) to get my levels back up. Very interesting thread!

Tina2

I was diagnosed with Harshimoto's decades ago when I was in my late 30s or early 40s and have been on Synthroid ever since. I, like Susan, want my doctor to up my dose because I often feel sluggish, but she consistently refuses, citing that my levels are "perfect" and she does not want to risk harm to my bones.

The interesting thing is that years before the Hashimoto's diagnosis, I would periodically complain to my then-PCP about profuse underarm sweating, a racing heart and insomnia. Looking back, I think my thyroid had been burning itself out for years! By the time I got to an endocrinologist, the poor thing was inert. I had thyroid nodules biopsied at one point; they were benign.

My original Stage I b.c. diagnosis was in 1985, my second in 1995. Metastases to my lungs were found in 2011.

This said, I know that thyroid disease is extremely common, particularly in women of a certain age. I would think it would be very difficult to find a correlation between it and breast cancer.

Tina

DEAK95

I was diagnosed as Hypothyroid and Non-toxic multi-nodular goiter at 24. Went on Synthroid. I got Stage 3 BC at 34 and on to Stage 4 with Bone Mets at 44 yrs old. Saw new Endocrinologist at 44 who took me off Synthroid and then Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes. Chemo at 34 seemed to kill off most of the goiter nodules and I have an Ultra-Sound every year to make sure they are still stable. I think these are all connected too!!!

gemmafromlondon

When my thyroid went awol I put on two stone in weight in about two months and have never lost it. :Being overweight heightens the risk of bc. Don't know about you ladies - any weight problems?

DEAK95

Yes, I am overweight!!!

Michele2013

I had a biopsy on my nodules and they came back benign. Onc and thoracic surgeon wanted a total thyroidectomy anyway. It was cancer. Even my large mass biopsy was benign, it was breast cancer. I do not trust biopsies. Sorry to intrude again.

Joanne_53

I have hypo thyroid and have been taking synthroid for about 25 years. I have been curious also if there is a link to breast cancer. It is surprising the number of women that are now taking medication for thyroid.

PattyPeppermint

I was dx bc stage 2b in 2002. 2003 started major migraines - nothing helped. Ran lots of these. Finally found out hypothyroid in 2012 or 2013. No more migraines on synthroid. 6-13 stage 4 dx mets to spine , ribs. , pelvic area . Think fully ar this time all soft tissue and organs looking good.

ljcc

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 7 years ago and have been on levothyroxine since. Just before my BC discovery my TSH levels went haywire... from 5.6 to 0.03 within a 4 week period. My doctor was amazed and kept changing my dose until it started stabilizing. A few months after I was diagnosed with BC. I have made it a point of asking women I meet who have had BC if they have hypothyroidism and have been surprised to hear that most of them were on levothyroxine. I definitely believe there has to be a correlation and wonder why there has been no research on this. Is it the hypo or the drug?

labelle

Forgive me for posting here as I'm not stage IV, but my mother was diagnosed w hyperthyroid 3 years before her BC diagnosis. Her thyroid was destroyed w radioactive iodine treatment due to it being in overdrive. She was then put on levothyroxine. I was diagnosed w hypothyroid (Hashimotos) about 3 yr before my own BC diagnosis-took levothyroixine for about a year before switching to Armour Thyroid.

I've read a fair amount of literature and research that shows a link between BC and thyroid disorders and some that suggest a link w BC and levothyroxine but it is really hard to tell if it is the thyroid disorder or the drug that is the problem, since most endos prescribe levothyroixine for all their patients with hypothyroid- I was switched to Armour only after complaining a lot and loudly about still feeling like crap on levothyroxine even though it seemed to work on my labs. And I had to switch endos to get the Armour. My previous endo told me thyroid disease, over or under active, is just different sides of the same coin.

Anyway, there would be a pretty small pool of women diagnoses with hypo, who had not ever taken the levothyroxine to study. The manufactures of levothyroixine aren't going to fund a study like that and the Armour people wouldn't have the resources, so........................

Personally, I'm convinced there is a relationship between thyroid dysfunction and breast cancer. The thyroid affects so many of our bodily functions, that having an improperly functioning thryroid might leave one more prone to BC certainly seems very possible to me.

elisewin

forgive me as well but I always believed in a connection. I Was hyper for about 2 year before BC and for 2 year after, I took 2 different medication but I only remember the 2nd one that was PTU. Then when my life got back to normal and I was in a happy place to the disbelieve of my Doctor my thyroid problem resolved itself.

Then at the end of last year I had a really stressful few months and I was sure the thyroid was back in business I had all the symptoms I knew so well and in January I had blood test. Blow test were ok but at my 6 month follow up in March i had a new BC.

Thank you

Nancy2581

hmmmm this is very interesting to me. I was diagnosed hypothyroid 5 years before my BC diagnosis. Still taking synthroid 125. I am the only one on both sides of my family diagnosed with BC. However my sister is also hypothyroid and she does not have BC.

Rebeccam

Hello, I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism in April 2015, take Methazomole... diagnosed with Breast Cancer Sept 2016. Had lumpectomy..stage 2...It's aggressive invasive ductal (grade 3) I have wondered about correlation..

Casey73

I’ve been on Synthroid for about 20 years now. Had hashimoto’s and My full thyroid taken out in 2005. Diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma stage 4 breastcancer 10/2018.