Thyroid?

Hi Mark. Not me but there are others in the community who have developed hypothyroidism. It is a risk at around 40/50%

It can be a very late effect, even years after treatment which is why we should have annual TSH bloods. 

Hi Mark, I had some routine blood tests a couple of years ago, they said they weren't very happy with the thyroid reading, so I had them done again 6 months later, this time it was within the limit. You are right the RT can cause it.

Ray.

Hi Mark yes we need annual thyroid bloods I have mine every December. I tend to put a reminder on in here. My numbers are slowly  increasing. Yes due to radiotherapy. Like Dani says 40-50% of us end up meds one tablet a day tends to regulate it  don’t stress it’s not unusual  we need our tsh and t4 levels checking  

hugs Hazel 

Yes I have an underactive thyroid.  Developed around 18 months post treatment and is slowly declining.  I test every 6 months to see if I need to adjust my levothyroxine dose.  It is easy to manage once you get the right dose if it is your thyroid that's the issue.  The tablets are small and you take them once a day. 

Hi Mark. I have been on tablets for a low thyroid from my mid 40's and am now 72. My practically non existing thyroid is due to radiotherapy treatment that I had in my early 20's for a benign condition. (They no longer use radiotherapy for benign conditions thank goodness) Goes to show that your thyroid can be affected quite a long time after radiotherapy. I have found taking thyroxine every morning is no trouble and I have no side effects. I have regular blood tests to check on my levels and occasionally have had my dose adjusted. It is important to have your levels checked regularly after radiotherapy to get on top of any issues that might arise. 

Lyn

PFJTHS said:

Yes I have an underactive thyroid. 

Which can cause Pulsatile tinnitus, even unilaterally, I have just discovered. 

Interesting.  Mine started during RT - just very slight and has got worse.  Maybe a connection and may explain why they could not see any issues on the CT - thankfully.

Hi Mark

I was diagnosed with scc of the tongue with 35 radiation treatments and 3 rounds of chemo in 2008 and was always told to keep an eye on my thyroid due to effects from radiation treatment. My levels had always been normal but I'm 2017 I was experiencing all the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, rapid heat rate, weight loss, etc. So I was due for a CT scan of the head and neck anyway and it showed thyroid nodule which i never had before. The oncologist was not concerned so I had my pcp order lab tests and engaging every 6 months and they kept getting larger and suspicious. So finally I had a biopsy done with an endocrinologist that came back malignant and was removed in 2023.

Bottom line, you can have normal or slightly abnormal labs and still have it be cancerous

FLgirlhybridtongue said:

So finally I had a biopsy done with an endocrinologist that came back malignant and was removed in 2023.

Hi again

Did you get thyroid cancer some 20 years after tongue SCC? And after RT? 

I did yes.  It was a long term side effect of the RT to the neck