[Lina1]

#1058714

Hello all. Has anyone else on the site experienced cancer in the past before getting diagnosed with Graves’ Disease? At 28, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma (had chemo and radiation to the neck). The cancer is in complete remission at this time. At 31 (last year) I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease. I’m curious if there is a connection between the two. Has anyone had an experience similar to this or heard of any connection?

Also, I was wondering if there has been any information on the risks of RAI treatment for a person who has previously received radiation to the neck? My oncologist believes that it would be okay, but I always like to hear a few more opinions from people that may have had to go through the experience themselves. Right now I’m continuing with PTU, which has worked okay over the past year, but fear that I may need to start considering RAI if my doctor and I can’t find a balanced dosage. (Seems like it’s always either too much or too little medicine). Thanks to all for any info! I wish you all good health and happiness!

-Lina

[snelsen]

#1169522

Hi Lina, I am pretty sure they are unrelated. But maybe your oncologist has a better read on that. There sure are a boatload of people who have cancer who never have Graves’.
I am wondering if a radiologist has a better idea of repeating radiation to the same area where you had radiation for Hodgkin’s?
Of course, it all can be a non-issue if you had surgery, I’d think. But, as we have said many times on this board, it is a personal decision. I did select the surgical option, and was so very happy with it. I suppose that perhaps a consideration for you, is that it is possible you might need radiation again for Hodgkin’s, and the rads can pile up.
So it sees that you are weighing the pros and cons of doing another option rather than ADT’s, just in case. Another thought for you is that getting the dose "right" is still challenging, if you have thyroid replacement after either RAI or thyroidectomy.
My impression is that it takes longer, after RAI, and another consideration as a con is if you want to get pregnant. You have to wait longer after RAI, gotta go, more later

[DaveW]

#1169523

Hi Lina –
First, I’d like to say that my mother’s name is Lina. I do not think I (or she) has ever known anyone else with the name Lina.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that a friend of mine also has had lymphoma and GD. She also had the lymphoma first and then after treatment with radiation and chemo was diagnosed with GD. While the doctors did not feel the cancer had anything to do with the GD, they did feel the radiation and chemo had everything to do with its onset (at least in her case).

Also, please be very careful with any additional radiation that you may need to get. My friend cannot have any more. Her prognosis should the cancer flare up again is not good.

Best of luck to you Lina!

Dave

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