can you get thyroid cancer after a thyroidectomy

[paulam]

[LouiseRoberts]

Hi

Sorry you had no replies, there are not as many people on here with thyroid cancer...

Hopefully someone will pick this up from latest activity... in the meantime:

The BTF offer good cancer support to people:

btf-thyroid.org/index.php/s...

L

x

[helvella Administrator]

No expert here! Don't believe anything below without checking elsewhere.

When done other than for cancer, the aim of a thyroidectomy would usually be to reduce the amount of thyroid tissue to a small enough amount that the person has no problems. For example, a goitre made small enough not to affect breathing/swallowing, a toxic nodule removed such that excess thyroid hormone is not being produced. Even if it is a total thyroidectomy, there is not that much of an issue if there are a few thyroid cells left.

In an unusual case, the tiny remaining thyroid tissue could become cancerous.

When a total thyroidectomy is performed for cancer, extra steps are often taken because no surgeon can be 100% confident of removing every last thyroid cell - such as scans to demonstrate lack of iodine take-up, doses of thyroid hormone sufficient to suppress TSH, even radio-active iodine to destroy any remaining thyroid cells.

Do bear in mind,though, that thyroid tissue can regrow when NOT cancerous. Several people here have had at least some regrowth after total thyroidectomy for Graves. So regrowth does not indicate cancer, just something that needs to be looked at.

Rod

[Hidden]

Hi

I agree with Rod. I had a TT for graves, hashis, hashitoxicosis, TED and thyroid cancer - the cancer is on my notes as an 'incidental finding' as the other stuff would have killed me much quicker. I am on lifelong TSH suppressive therapy and I refused RAI as there was no evidence in a case like mine - papilliary cancer, follicular variant, stage one, not in the lymph, not in margins, tumour slightly smaller than 2cm - it would add anything to my life chances and indeed in America RAI is not offered in a case like mine. Once I'd made that decision they were very supportive and actually all that rush to get me to do RAI was tempered with the fact that my risk of a recurrence was very small indeed.

I saw my endo last Monday, two years after the op and she said 'we can consider you cured'. My Tg and TgAb are monitored very closely, first it was monthly, then three monthly and now I'm six monthly and that will go to annually for the next ten years.....

I honestly don't think about it at all except when writing posts like this

Rebecca

xxx

[TishTish in reply to Hidden]

This was very helpful Rebecca, thank you.

[Susieloo]

After a TT I was given Radio Iodine twice, once after my TT and again a year later. I am now monitored yearly and will be for the rest of my life. I think the after treatment you receive may depend on the hospital you are under. I am lucky enough to live near the Royal Marsden Sutton. They advised me that my Levothyroxine is administered at a higher dose to suppress any regrowth. I hope you get the advise you require. Take care.

[ThyroidThora]

Hi Paulam,

Have you had a thyroidectomy to remove cancer? If this is the case then there is still a small chance that the cancer can grow back but it depends on what cancer was present, your age at diagnosis and removal, sizing and staging. If the cancer was papillary or follicular and diagnosed/removed before age 45 and RAI given then the prognosis is good. I really need to know more information to give a more detailed reply. I had a partial thyroidectomy to remove follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer last year. I haven't had RAI and instead am being treated with Levothyroxine to suppress my TSH to stop the cancer's return and in the past month I've started on a low dose of Liothyronine because my post operative symptoms of hypothyroidism is not getting improving on a high dose of Levothyroxine.

If you want further information please PM me and I'll do my best to reply.

TT xx

[paulam]

Thanks ThyroidThora,I had no cancer, multiple nodules on both sides multiplying monthly.All benign, on eltroxine as replacement therapy. Also in the year I had fibroids on the uterus removed and was admitted twice with diverticulitis.All new. I am generally a healthy person. As my CEA was 8.5 (today it was 10.9)had colonoscopy and all normal. Now my hands and feet are growing remarkably and I have awful tingling in my feet and hands particularly when resting also my eyesight is deteriorating daily. I am a young 55 year old.I had an MRI of brain yesterday and no tumor on the pituitary. There was high signal intensity areas in the left posterior parietal subcortical white matter without any mass effect suggesting possible ischemic changes?.I also had a scan of my throat and there is no regrowth and everything looked good. Bar the CEA all is good news but no answer as to why Im feeling like this or why my extremities are growing?My left foot is now the most of 2cm bigger than my right and my left hand is 1cm to my right. I am awaiting growth hormone tests but it will take two weeks for the results any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again .Paula

[PamS39]

I have regrowth on my right thyroid that was removed with stage 2 cancer 10/14.

I have had ultrasound showing regrowth and dropped parathyroid on carotid artery. Frustrated that endo wants to keep watching.