I have breast cancer and thyroid cancer

I am a two timer too.  I had stage IV throat cancer in 2011 and recently turned up with Stage I breast cancer.  I had a lumpectomy in December and am almost finished with radiation treatment.  The doctors said there was no relationship between the cancers, just bad luck I guess.  I went through genetic counseling and but they didn't find any significant patterns.  Sloan will probably suggest the same for you.  Glad you are at a top cancer center.  I live in upstate NY but got all my cancer care at Massachusetts General in Boston.  Best of luck.

My friend's mother was dignosed with the same. she was treated with complete treatment of cancer . She took it courageously and now she is completely fine. 

May I ask a question of some you ladies.  For those who had no symptoms...once a nodule was identified, what made you go for a biopsy?  Was the nodule right on the thyroid?  Was your nodule first monitored to look for growth or changes?   Did the doctors feel it was suspicious for cancer just by looking at the imaging?

I am asking because I have a nodule right next to my thyroid.  It was seen on a CT as an incidental finding, and now it has been USed three times with no changes noted.  I guess mine is not suspicious for cancer, but I know only a biopsy will really rule it out.  I am o.k. with just being monitored for now.

Is the biopsy the fine needle aspiration?

Just adding myself to this list-- having thyroid removed on 7/10--- papillary--everyone says its curable--- I am 5.5 years out on the bc--just went off letrozole on Tuesday--was hoping to celebrate... but now have to get on the thyroid meds.... please tell me this gets better.....

Bevin

Back in the fall, I came down with shingles-- craziest thing-- I know it was related to work stress--anyway, they resolved quickly, but then I developed several different colds and coughs-- I was in my pcp office every week--I could work, but I was coughing all the time--- so I was checked every week almost--weighed, measured, neck check, etc.  nothing abnormal--labs normal.

In my annual physical in April, I told pcp that it was getting better, but I now had hay fever-- and I was on inhalers, etc.  which were helping slightly.  My pcp is very particular (it was she who found a breast lump 5 months after a clear mammogram) so she asked me to get a lung ct (I had already had 2 clear chest xrays).  I did not want to do it,but I figured she would not let me go.  So, lungs clear (but they found a 6mm nodule, which pulmonolgist said was nothing to worry about but he will follow for a while- I flipped out over that-but have since calmed down since he was so certain and even put that in writing).  And then there was the incidental finding of the thyroid nodules.

I think the protocol is to biopsy them if they are larger than 1cm--- which is how I came to the biopsy and then this final dx.  But it is important to point out that no one felt anything in my neck and I was literally being checked out weekly-- so the nodules were not that big.... still aren't.  Surgeon says they are pretty small.

I don't remember trouble swallowing, but I have it now, mostly from the biopsy because things get swollen.  I think a lung ct can pick these things up... I would recommend it if you are having swallowing and fullness issues.

It is scary, but bear in mind two things--- most of the time, these things are benign.  And if they are not, literally EVERY single person from secretary to surgeon in my medical team and includng my bc onc has told me that this is the one thing that is curable.... papillary is the most common and the one that everyone agrees is curable... so this has gone a long way in helping me be less anxious.  

Of course, I don't want to have surgery and I could live without the iodine treatment (a one time treatment)  but as others here have told me, and has turned out to be true, the bc process is alot more stressful..... 

Please get it checked out--- keep us posted. Feel free to pm me if you need more information.

Best

Thank you momand2kids and Beatrice- its helpful to hear your stories.  I'm sure it's nothing but the symptoms do bother me and makes me worry a bit. I guess all in all its not normal to have this ongoing cough and fullness so better to get it checked.  Interestingly Momand2kids, I too have had shingles within the past 6 months as well as several very bad colds /sinus issues that keep me going to the primary - he places me on antibiotics, only to have the issues slightly resolve and then come back within a week.  I blamed it all on stress I've had over the past six months . They did refer me to a ENT so I guess all will be fully checked out. I'll be sure to ask them to consider those two tests. Thank you both so much for sharing your information. I truly appreciate your input.

Bevin

Thank you! I'll let you know the update when I speak to the doctors.