THYROID DISEASE

Read and learn more about medullary thyroid cancer. For more, visit the Thyroid Disease website ThyroidDiseaseWiki.com.

Q: What is a successful treatment for thyroid medullary cancer?

A: Talk to a doctor, try Yahoo Health and webmd.

Q: medullary thyroid cancer?
My mother in law 76 years old is diagnosed in Dec 09 for medullary thyroid cancer.What are the sufferings in performing the operation and subsequent therapies.AND what will be the sufferings if no operation is performed and left as it is.Considering the age what will be your advice?

A: Dear Sateesh.
Medullary cancer thyroid is a rare thyroid cancer (just 4% of all thyroid cancer), arising from C cells (Parafollicular cells). It is a agressive cancer and only curative treatment for this condition is Suregry (Total thyroidectomy with central node dissection). It is not very responsive to Radiotherapy (Partial response) or Chemotherapy. Radiotherapy and chemothrapy can be used as adjuvant (after surgery) to improve response. Dont delay this, I think surgery is the best option for her. If this tumour is still confined to thyroid then chances of cure is good. Risk of surgery shouln’t be high if there is no other medical comorbidity (I mean No diabetes, hypertension, respiratory problem etc.)
This tumour is herediatory also in 10-20% of cases (MEN 2a & 2b). So all family member should get a tumour marker test done (Calcitonin- done by a blood test and not very expensive). As your name suggests you must be from India. This test can be done in all big cities of India.
Last important point: This a genuine medical advise (though free of cost), so dont take it lightly. You are asking this question in wong forum. All those who answer, very few among them are expert or know about this condition. Most of them here do google search and try to beome expert and answer a very seriuos issue or question.
Best wishes
Dr Tewari (India)

Q: what is medullary thyroid cancer ?
I need to know what this is and the symptoms and treatments of this cancer ??

A: Medullary thyroid cancer deals with the parafollicular or C cells, and they make Calcitonin. Usually, only distant metastatic medullary thyroid cancer has physical symptoms of flushing or diarrhea. More commonly, blood tests showing an elevated calcitonin and CEA levels and Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies help in identifying this cancer. People with MEN 2A, MEN 2B or familial medullary thyroid cancer are at higher risk for the disease.

A total thyroidectomy with lymph node removal is usually performed to combat the cancer. Follow up treatment can include external beam radiation and/or chemotherapy.

Contrary to the other info, Medullary does not have the poorest outcome of all the 4 types thyroid cancers, Anaplastic does.

Q: What is the cure for metastatic Medullary Cancer of the thyroid?
The fact is that there is currently no known cure for metastatic Medullary Cancer. It is controlled by surgical removal (where possible) of the malignant tumors.

A: Thyroidectomy
Radiation

Q: 81yo female with newly diagnosed thyroid medullary cancer. Should I opt for surgery or radiotherapy?

A: No one here has enough information to answer that question. It would depend on whether the cancer has spread, how healthy the patient is otherwise, the patient’s wishes, and many other things that her doctor would know much better than any of us. The sources below seem to favor surgery in general, but of course they can’t say what is best for this individual patient. This would be a good time for doctor and patient (and family) to sit down and talk about all the options. I hope it all works out.

Q: Thyroid causing pressure on trachea?? Feels like something in airway, causes cough?
I have a strange problem. I am a nurse and am lost when it comes to my own symptoms.

I had medullary thyroid cancer 23 yrs ago and had half of my thyroid removed. I had it checked regularly for several yrs but not in last 10.

Since last Nov I have had a cough that nothing helps. I have seen Dr about 5 times – taken 3 different antibiotics, tried Albuterol inhaler, 3 different cough meds, Prevacid (in case it is reflux), and allergy meds – all with no relief. In past week it has gotten worse and feels like something is in my trachea blocking some airflow in my airway.

It got worse this weekend and I went to the local ER. I had coughed so musch that I thought I had either broken a rib or created a spontaneous pneumothorax. CXR and soft tissue of neck were both negative, along with an EKG, so they sent me home with diagnosis of pleuritic CP and Relafen.

I just want to find someone with info that I can look up. Please reply!!!!

A: Since you are a nurse and are familiar with anatomy, I think your sense that something is in your trachea should be taken very seriously. You might try seeing a different doctor. Both pulmonologists and ENT doctors are skilled at looking in the trachea to see if there is anything going on there. Keep pursuing this.

I hope it is nothing serious, and I hope you feel better soon.

Q: If a person inherits genetic cancer are they both human and the virus?
I have an illness called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 2A. This was discovered after I developed medullary thyroid cancer. My endocrinologist suspected that I had this illness which can be a part of the MEN2A. From what I understand, it is an inherited illness unless it is somehow spontaneous. It is believed that I inherited it from my father, but he is dead and has no remaining family other than my mother and I. My question is if I inherited this illness that makes a cancer, am I both human and the virus itself. I inherited what makes the virus just the same as I inherited what makes me human. I asked the researcher and he said no one is exactly sure how this works. I am hoping there might be some genetic experts on here who could explain this to me. I am a Ret Protooncogene mutation C634Y in Exon 11 if that is any help.

A: Cassie, I’m sorry to hear about your condition.

You didn’t inherit a virus, but you inherited a mutated gene. So, you are completely human. Most cancers in humans are not caused by viruses, but are caused by mutations in genes that control cell division. A proto-oncogene is a gene that which it gets altered by a mutation leads to the development of a cancer of some kind. Different proto-oncogenes lead to the development of different kinds of cancers.

The “C634Y in exon 11″ means that the mutation you have is in a part of the gene that is present in the protein (exon). The “C634Y” describes the specific change in the 634th amino acid of the protein. RET is the specific gene that has mutated. Changes in this gene cause the cancer that you have.

I hope you’re doing OK…Feel free to message me.

Q: Because of radiation tmts I need to have special oxygen treatments does anyone know the name of oxygen?
I have a rare cancer Medullary Thyroid Cancer and because of the IMRT radiation tmts(37) it burned out the ssylvia and I was told the blood supply to my mouth, I have had my front 3 teeth break in half and was able to have dental work to repair, but am suffering in pain because I was unable to go to the hospital for 20 treatments 2 hours a day of this oxygen. I am now in such pain as 2 teth on left side have broken and 1 on the right and I cannot have a Dentist work on my mouth. Anyone know the name of the oxygen treatments??

A: Sorry, your question is not very clear.

Why oxygen would be needed as a painkiller in dental work beats me.

My mother had thyroid cancer, and never experienced that.

Q: What causes bilateral cervical nodes to be reactive???
On the report of my CT scan – also says “upper jugular chain nodes measure up to at least 2.1cm in short axis on the right.
I’m a 26 yr old female- with a history of medullary carcinoma of the breast. Family history of stomach, breast & thyroid cancer in my family.

A: Reactive cervical nodes general refer to lymph nodes in the neck that are enlarge due to infection or inflammation of your head and neck. For example they could be in reaction to a cold, skin infection, sore throat, tooth infections etc. At you age it is not unusual at all to have lymph nodes of the size you describe even without overt signs of infection.