I have finally done enough research to realize that the enlarged noduel in my neck is not a lymph node it is my thyroid. I am getting ti checked today with my RO. How common is it to get thyroid cancer not even a year after the end of treatment? Is that something I should be concerned about? It is extremely hard and much bigger on one side than the other side. I am hoping it is nothing.

Thyroid cancers are a completely different family of cancer than what we normally talk about here. They are endocrine system cancers, which if caught early are surgically resolved and then a life time of synthetic hormones takes care of the lack of a thyroid. Essentially those of us that are acutely hypothyroid from radiation are on the same regime as someone that has had the surgery. It would seem odd for you to get it, but after Hiroshima there were a ton of these in that exposed survivor population, so it is clear that radiation can cause them. Good luck with this, enlargement may not = serious.

My RO said it may be my thyroid, but he was not concerned about that. He is concerned about all my other symptoms: the right arm pain, lower back pain, right ear pain, cough, occasional shortness of breath, and most of all the night sweats I have been having. I know PET scans ar enot the end all of end alls, but he is ordering another PET scan and also took some blood to do a full blood work up. He said that if the blood work ot PET scan do not show up anything that he will send me to a disease specialist to getsome more tests to find out why I am having all these issues. I am just ready for some answers. I just love when all the Drs each have a differing opinion.

Night sweats can definitely be caused by a damaged thyroid.

David,
That is what he said. I also have even more decreased energy than I did just a few months ago. What concern me is the lower back pain as it is a constant consistent pain that gets worse when I stay in one position for to long.

Hi Angelia,
My thoughts are with you. It's frustrating when docs can't tell you wants wrong. I've got my fingers cross for you that Its nothing serious.

Minh

Angelia,
Thought I would just throw my two cents worth in-- I had a thyroidectomy 9/1/2010 at the same time as the excisional biopsy of my mouth. I had had nodules on my thyroid gland for years, and a LOT of people are walking around with thyroid nodules that are totally benign. However, I had developed a type of thyroid cancer (totally unrelated to the salivary gland cancer). As my endocrinologist told me, though, if you have to have a type of cancer, thyroid cancer is what you want. It is very easy to treat,and taking thyroid medicine is no big deal. I needed no other treatment for the thyroid cancer after the surgery. Some people have the surgery and then have to take a radioactive pill. I hope your doctor is able to give you some peace of mind and figure out the cause of all your other symptoms! Good Luck!

Has anyone tested your TSH now? Did they test it pre Tx? It's easier to compare if the pre Tx level has been determined.

I had a TSH test, a few months ago and it was normal. He said he would test i again to see if there was any change. I did have TSH test about a year before cancer.

In a few months it can go bad. Most that suffer from radiation caused damage find out months post Tx that it is bad.