NDT and breast cancer?

[lisabax]

I started taking ERFA last October, prior to that I was on T4/T3 combo. I feel much better on NDT. However, I have just been diagnosed with breast cancer, had an operation last week and am awaiting the results. My question is whether there is any known association between NDT and breast cancer, other than with synthetic hormones? thanks, LB

[shaws Administrator]

lisabax

I am sorry you have had an op last week and hope you are now recovering.

There is a known connection between hypothyroidism and breast cancer and this is a link to a scholarly article which might be helpful.

If we have one autoimmune disease we are apt to get more.

press.endocrine.org/doi/abs...

[lisabax in reply to shaws]

thanks Shaws, that's really helpful. LB

[Clutter]

Lisabax, I'm very sorry to hear that. Most cancers take a long time to develop before diagnosis. I think it's very likely the cancer was there long before you started NDT in October.

There may be an increased risk of breast cancer in hypothyroid women but I'm not aware it is linked to synthetic or NDT replacement.

[lisabax in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter, I'm sure you right. i certainly don't want to stop Erfa. LB

[Marz]

There is a website run by a breast cancer survivor Carole Baggerly - her passion is VitD. Maybe it is helpful.....

grassrootshealth.net

Hope all goes well for you....

[lisabax in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz. I have recently read this too and upped my dose from 1000 ius to 5000 ius per day. I will look at the website in details. LB

[Glynisrose]

There have been studies that link the two but lets face it, if you need some sort of thyroxine are you going to stop taking it because doctors like to scare - monger?

[Rebec]

Hi. What kind of operation did you have and have they taken any nodes out? My oncologist told me there is no connection between breast cancer and problems with the thyroid but my endo said the opposite. The most important thing is that you get good news after the operation and that you feel well in yourself. Are you going to get the special test to determine if you need chemo or not? Let us know about the results of the pathology tests. All the best!

[lisabax in reply to Rebec]

They have done a wide excision and have taken nodes. I get the results in Friday. Yes there is quite a lot of evidence that says you have a higher risk of breast cancer if you gave autoimmune thyroid disease. I don't think my breast consultant knows that either. There are real implications for screening women with thyroid disease. Maybe this should be my crusade! I don't know if they've done the test to see if chemo will help. I can't bear the thought! Thanks for your good wishes and I will post my results. LB

[Rebec in reply to lisabax]

I hope you don't develop lymphoedema because they touched your nodes. Nobody tells you about it but it's better to be prepared so as not to allow it to increase in size. Look it up, please. I went through a similar operation in November 2012. How large or small was the growth. My cancer had nothing to do with my thyroid exactly although my goitre is on the same side.There is a very interesting website entitled, if I'm not mistaken, thyroidmum. She's trying to show that the two are related.

[lisabax in reply to Rebec]

I have read about lymphoedema, and hopefully I will know what to look out for. My growths were dispersed and two types of invasive cancer, but relatively small. The question is whether they have cleared the margins and what other treatment/surgery I will need. Fingers crossed for Friday.

[Rebec in reply to lisabax]

Wishing you good results on Friday. Hopefully, no more surgery necessary. Good luck, lisabax.

[Rebec]

Have you got the results? Please, let us know or if you prefer, just message me.