Recent PET/NavDX

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Kazsmiles74
Kazsmiles74 Member Posts: 20 Member
edited February 6 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Anyone here have trouble with thyroid after their radiation/chemo? My husband has been feeling a lump when swallowing and the front of his neck is getting bigger, a few weeks ago the ENT said it is probably scar tissue from treatment. It is starting to affect his breathing especially when sleeping. Just learned his most recent NAXDX test is negative, yay. However, the PET is showing a large uptake in the Thyroid. He sees his oncologist tomorrow. Just curious if any of you have any thoughts or similar situation?

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  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,285 Member
    #2
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    Kaz, good day. Many on here have had thyroid changes after radiation. I would say most were small changes to medium and a few were pretty radical. Hopefully, they will see your posting and share their stories. I have had a mildly hyperactive thyroid for a number of years before my treatment and it was affected by radiation treatment. Not that much though I think it went from taking 25 MCG per day up to 50 or 75 MCG and with aging being a factor also I think, I am up to 100 MCG still a very small pill.

    I am glad you are on top of this. I am not sure if it is scar tissue but apparently, he has had a PET Scan recently since you noted the PET is showing a large uptake in the Thyroid and that should show if anything nefarious is going on. The fact that there is a lump and it is growing enough and swelling and causing breathing issues is certainly cause for concern. A good sign is the NavDx test was clear (negative). I am hoping and praying when He sees his oncologist tomorrow that it is just some post-treatment issue that is easily managed. I am glad you are addressing this issue rather than waiting. Please keep us updated.

    Also, I did find this from the Mayo Clinic Connect forum Head and Neck...

    Has anyone had thyroid issues after head and neck radiation?

    https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/thyroid-issues-and-hn-treatment/?pg=2


    And I found this result from this site...

    Another question.....this time about our thyroid

    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/227646/another-question-this-time-about-our-thyroid


    I hope the info helps and Wishing You the Best moving forward with this.

    Take care, God Bless

    Russ

  • goffrey
    goffrey Member Posts: 41 Member
    #3
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    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/327634/recent-pet-navdx

    How far out is your husband from treatment? Could it be swelling? Uptake can mean so many things, scare tissue, inflammation or swelling. Swelling under the chin and neck area is common after radiation.

  • Kazsmiles74
    Kazsmiles74 Member Posts: 20 Member
    #4
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    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1713053#Comment_1713053

    7 months out from last treatment. This is his second PET scan after treatment. No uptake on thyroid 3 months ago. Current scan showed high uptake. We are not suggesting it’s cancer. We are just thinking with all of his other symptoms it might mean his thyroid is out of whack.

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