Continuation of 2/5 Discussion re: Chemotherapy as cause for Thyroid Dysfunction

Interesting response from WebMD doctor:

http://boards.webmd.com/roundtable_message/3573769

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear lionandlamb:  I have reviewed the response by Dr. Nazario and attached it for others.  If you notice, Dr. Nazario points out that a common cause of thyroid problems is radiation.  She also states that "there is an increase in women who have hashimotos disease following breast cancer but the reason for the association is not clear it does NOT seem to be related to chemotherapy..."  In other words, though there may be an increase in hashimotos disease in women with breast cancer, there is little evidence to support that chemotherapy is the cause.  Also, Dr. Nazario briefly refers to research that is being done looking at a different aspect of thyroid function - using it to predict survival and as a treatment.  There is some evidence to support that poor thyroid function may actually improve treatment and survival results.

Attached response from webMD..

by Brunilda_Nazario_MD (WebMD), on 2/26/2003 6:03:09 PM NEW!

There actually may a connection you are right. First in the treatment of breast cancer many times radiation to the breats is used and yes that will cause hypothyroidism within a few weeks to months.
Secondly many papers have been written about the association of thyroid disease in women who had had breast cancer most frequently the finding of hashimotos disease.The reason for the association is not clear it does not seem to be related to the chemotherapy and some researchers have implicated that it may be related to thyroid antibodies or the fact that thyroid hormone may drive cancers. A few other have try to figure out which type of thyroid diseases are more associated with a better survival as well . A recent yet small study found that the Hashimotos patient with breast cancer did have a better survival. These are all small studies as more reasearch is done we will be able to uncover more details of these finding.

[lionandlamb]

yes, you are right ... she says they do not think chemo is the cause.

If it is not the chemo, then could you possibly elaborate on what the mechanism is that would cause post-treatment BC patients to develop Hashimoto's ...