Now my thyroid...

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Lesley_Ann
Lesley_Ann Member Posts: 8
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I dont know how much more I can handle....when I had my PET scan, my onc said eveyrthing came back clear...but that my liver and thyroid were inflammed.  She did all sorts of blood work and eveyrthing came back negative. Then she ordered an ultrasound of my thyroid today...apparently I must have a mass or something, because the tech said that I would be having a biopsy...so now what, I have cancer there? Did it spread there  or is this a new cancer...and if it is, what the heck are they going to do with me? I didn't think I could be more terrified than I already was...but I am...

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  • Lesley_Ann
    Lesley_Ann Member Posts: 8
    edited December 2008

    Oh, I havent done my sig yet, with my info, but I am TN, Stage 3, IDC (they suspect maybe IBC) and some nodes lit up during my PET scan...

     I dont know how my onc can be so optimistic, because when I write it out like that it looks like I am screwed...

    I am also a mother of 5 (14, 10, 9, 4 and 2 months old) and wife of a Marine...I just pray that God spares my life...

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited December 2008

    Lesley Ann,

    Goggle thyroid and breast cancer.  There is a big connection between the two.  But hopefully this is not a bc issue.  I hate to say it but you want thyroid cancer over bc met to thyroid.  Most thyroid cancer grows very very slow.  I know two ladies there mom had bc and they HAD thyroid cancer. Are you in treatment? Could this be a side effect of chemo? Makes me wonder since your liver is also inflamed.

    I just want you to know I'm saying a quick prayer for you and your family.  God bless your husband for his time serving our country. I'm so sorry you have to worry about this at the holidays.  Hopefully you can get some answer soon. Before all the holiday stuff start closing the offices early.

    God Bless

    Flalady

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  • guitarGrl
    guitarGrl Member Posts: 697
    edited December 2008

    My cousin went through Thyroid cancer last year - if you have to have cancer, that is a good one - and as FloridaLady says, it's better to be Thyroid cancer than breast cancer mets.

    What they do is remove the Thyroid, give you some radioactive iodine to kill any remaining cells and put you on thyroid replacement pills. So the thyroid is the LEAST of your problems. I understand why you are panicking though. 

    Is your husband out of the country now? Do you have support where you are? You should not have to go through this alone while taking care of all those kids. Where are you guys located? 

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  • sfbaer
    sfbaer Member Posts: 24
    edited December 2008

    Lesley,

    My mom's TN recurrence also happened to have her thyroid lit up in PET scan. It was dx about 2 months ago. She started her first TC right before Thanksgiving, and then the ultrasound on her thyroid the Friday after. The endocrinologist said (according to Onc) it's not cancer solely based on the ultrasound image. The doctor or tech who performed the ultrasound said there's a lot of masses in my mom's thyroid, but he also added that's common esp. in women. I did some research - there's about half of US population has thyroid mass. I'll have to ask the onc at my mom's appointment to see if she needs a biopsy. Don't worry too much. You'll be fine~  

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  • PineHouse
    PineHouse Member Posts: 416
    edited December 2008

    Lesley,

    My GP found a lump in my throat.  She sent me for an ultrasound.  The ultrasound came back recommending biopsy.  Biopsy came back benign.  They diagnosed it as "multinodular goiter", nothing to be done further.  I also seem to hear lots of ladies w/ breast cancer having all sorts of thyroid problems, some needing treatments but most not.  I think chances are you have one of those.

    Hugs

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  • ptjen
    ptjen Member Posts: 52
    edited December 2008

    Ladies: I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer 18 years ago after being treated for a benign goiter for a year and a half. I had had a biopsy and ultrasound at the very beginning. Ultimately, the goiter was removed, deemed to be benign while I was in surgery but the frozen section came back the next day as malignant (they warn you that this might happen) and I went back in to surgery to have it removed (followed up with the radioactive iodine treatment. My doctor was floored - he hadn't expected it to be malignant. My point is, I don't believe there is any goiter that has nothing to be done further to it. At the least, they need to be watched carefully. I would strongly recommend seeing an endocrinologist if you have any questions at all about your thyroid. And, yes, if you have to have cancer, it may be the one to have. Just be really diligent - there is an increased risk of other cancers after thyroid cancer (BC being one of them). I really don't want to scare anyone. I just want you to be aware.

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  • PineHouse
    PineHouse Member Posts: 416
    edited December 2008

    Pat,

    Thanks for the insight.  I will press for a follow up for that goiter dx (it's been a little over a year now).

    Lesley,

    Hope you have more explanation by now.  I'm still hoping for anything other than BC mets.

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  • cweed
    cweed Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2008

    I was dx triple-negative in 12/05.  During PET my thyroid lit up.  Oncologist told me it wouldn't be BC mets as that's not where it goes.  Had biopsy, it was inconclusive enough that they recommended thyroidectomy.  I did it, they found just a spec of papillary cancer which didn't require any further treatment.  Now on synthroid which takes some time to regulate, but otherwise feel great.  If you go that route, best tip I got was keep sunscreen on the scar EVERY TIME you go outside.  Skin on the scar line is very sensitive and it will discolor permanently if it gets sunlight.  Now its been 2.5 years since the surgery and you can't see the scar at all.  Of everything I've been through, thyroid was easy.  Keep your chin up.  Just plow through and there is life on the other side of it.

    Cathy

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