Parathyroid disease and breast cancer
Comments
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Hello everyone,
I finally managed to transfer the picture and information from when I posted on the High calcium thread, so that we have everything together. I hope the diagram helps.
Thank you Ceanna for posting your picture. It is so useful
Love and best wishes to all.
Sylvia xxxx
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I realize that this is the IDC forum, but I'm posting here because of the hyperparathyroid topic. It looks like most people commenting on this have had IDC. I had DCIS in 2016, so I apologize if I shouldn't be posting here.
This thread caught attention because I had hyperparathyroid surgery in 2015. It seems to be quite common, but it was actually me who diagnosed it and went to my doctor saying "I want to discuss my labs with you". This doctor had started monitoring my calcium level in August 2013. He told me that my calcium was too high and to stop taking my calcium supplement to see if that would improve my levels. It didn't. I decided one day to go on line and looked at my labs. I noticed the PTH being high and researched it. I went back to my doctor and asked him about it. He excused himself from the room (obviously to go do some research on it) and came back after about 15 minutes saying that I needed to see an endocrinologist who specializes in parathyroid problems. I had the surgery soon after. The bone density test was done several months later and showed that I had osteopenia. I left that doctor shortly thereafter. I have asked my new doctor to have the bone density test again to see if it has improved. Since my calcium levels are normal now, she has said that we should wait.
My DCIS was diagnosed less than a year after the parathyroidectomy. My oncologist didn't put me on any meds after my lumpectomy and radiation treatment due to both the osteopenia and an inherited gene that my dad gave me (lol) that puts me at high risk for blood clots. I think I will push for it at my next visit, I really want to know if my bone density has improved.
I have to wonder about this. About five years before the hyperparathyroid my first calcifications were found and biopsied, which turned out to be benign. Now almost five years after the DCIS I had calcifications (benign) again. Does anyone know whether the high calcium in the blood contributes to the calcifications in the breast?
I will do some additional research as I do find this interesting.
zebra
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zebra, thanks for posting your story. I'm glad you were persistent with doctors and got the parathyroid problem taken care of. I don't know if the high blood calcium contributes to breast calcifications, but I'll be interested if anyone posts an answer.
I too, had been diagnosed with osteopenia, but before my adenoma was removed. The para specialist recommended that I wait two years after that removal and then get another DEXA scan. Because of COVID, I actually had to wait about 2 1/2 years, but had another scan a couple of months ago and it showed less osteopenia and one hip has improved more than the other--I must be lopsided! Just keep asking your new doctor or ask your para specialist to recommend one. I hope, too, that you are having your vit. D levels checked. If low, make sure you get adequate D to improve your bone density. All the best!
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Hello Zebra,
I have just read your interesting post.
You can see my own parathyroid and breast cancer story on this thread. When I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2005, I was told that they could see calcifications around my neck. I had high calcium levels in the blood and it was though that my cancer may have spread. My oncologist, breast cancer surgeon/endocrinologist carried out tests. They would have carried out parathyroid hormone tests, PTH, as well as the calcium level. They diagnosed hyperparathyroidism. I went through my cancer treatment and recovery and finally had a parathyroidectomy to remove a large, non malignant adenoma on the lower right parathyroid gland. My calcium etc. Immediately became normal. I was told that the adenoma had definitely preceded the breast cancer and that I had had it for a long time.
Bone density scans showed osteoporosis. I have not had any follow up scans but I do get calcium in my diet and do not take calcium supplements. I take plenty of vitamin D, high doses, and have sugar-free soy milk with added calcium etc., enriched sugar free soy yoghurt, and eat plenty of nuts and seeds, tinned wild red salmon and sardines with their bones.
Sending best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi Ladies:
Sorry for the stupid question but what is PTH test? What does PTH stand for? I'm wondering if I've done that test in my yearly blood work?
I have been having a lot of joint/bone pain since menopause and attributed the pain to me getting older. I am 53. I've been diagnosed with osteopenia. At 53!!! I'm active and eat well. But I feel like a old lady. My pain in my joints is bad.
my calcium level is usually anywhere from 9.1-9.7. Latest one in feb was 9.7. I get more blood work done in May because my iron levels are wonky! I have high iron binding capacity but I'm not absorbing the iron and have lower end of normal (doc would like it to be higher) iron.
ive never checked into my parathyroid. They are testing my thyroid levels in may with my blood work.
Is there any other labs that can be wonky with parathyroid problems other than calcium? My levels are in the high normal range at 9.7 my vit d I was taking 10k and that raised my level to 98😳so I've backed off my vit d lolMy mother has osteoporosis. Badly. She's 75. She is very active and always has been in good health.
but her calcium levels were about the same as mine 9.1-9.6 in the past she has also had the PTH test her first result was 72.2 in may of 2019 and then it was later 49.4 in aug 2019 should her PTH levels vary like that? Is that common? Is parathyroid disease when the PTH level is low or high?She also had one of those 24 hour urine tests to check calcium levels she was low (first PTH level time frame)in calcium in her urine dr stated for her to take calcium and recheck her PTH level and it had gone down Just curious if this is nothing to worry about
I'm just wondering if my joint pain is from the parathyroid
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HI Jons-girl, there's no such thing as a stupid question--just a learning opportunity!! Ask away! A PTH test measures the parathyroid hormone level in your blood. Results may vary over time, as do blood calcium levels, but they are an indicator if something is going on with your parathyroids if either/both is high. I'm not sure anymore, of the "normal" range, but they suspect if over 10. It doesn't sound like either of your mother's readings are too high. Calcium levels, especially, would be high, not low, in the parathyroid results if there was an adenoma. She might ask to have her Vit. D. level checked. Low D can cause osteoporosis.
As for you having joint pain, it could be a symptom of parathyroidism. Your blood calcium, though, sounds fairly normal, but it doesn't hurt to ask your doctor for additional tests like the PTH and pursue answers if it keeps rising. Here's a list of symptoms and tests https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15043-parathyroid-adenoma-diagnosis--treatment
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thank you ceanna for this information and for answering my questions. I’m going to have my moms pth level rechecked. And I’ve never had mine checked I don’t think. So I will request that too. Thank you
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Related question – hope that is ok.
Has anyone had trouble with their remaining thyroid after radiation or starting AI's (particularly anastrozole)? I had a parathyroidectomy in 2003 – had 3 paras and 1 thyroid removed. I have something called mulitple endocrine neoplasia – inherited. Thyroid has been fine, but I take calcium to make up for my lost parathyroids. Fast forward to Jan 2019 diagnosed with ILC, then surgery, then radiation in May/June, started anastrozole in July. My TSH at that point was 1.3 but has risen to the point that it was in the 7's last month. My new endo did not really have a reason for why, but it just occurred to me (and my husband) that maybe it was the anastrozole or the radiation that ruined my remaining thyroid. Has anyone else had remaining thyroid go bad after starting Ais or having radiation? If so, just wondering how you fixed it. Dr. put me on thyroid meds which I am not happy about…taking the AI (now letrozole) is bad enough.
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Autismmom, great questions, and I hope you can get to the bottom of this. I'm sorry I can't answer, but I wonder if it would be more visible if you start a thread with some of those key words in your thread title? Someone may have the answers but missed seeing this because they only read the word parathyroid and didn't think they had a reply for your thyroid quesitons. Maybe title it "thyroid issues and AI" or similar keywords will catch someone's attention who would have more info? All the best that you find answers.
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Ceanna - Thanks I may try that ~ if I can figure out how to.
It is such a small segment of the people here I imagine there are even fewer that are affected by Parathyroid AND thyroid issues...0 -
AutismMom, yes, I had a similar situation. 6 months after I started letrozole, my thyroid levels start moving towards hypothyroid levels. Then a lump was developed within few days. Ultrasound verified the lump, and the biopsy showed it as benign. Now I need to check the it every year. On another note, thyroid levels went back to normal. Other than letrozole, I can't think of anything else causing this weird fluctuation.
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Autismmom, there may be more people with both than you think. I had both thyroid and parathyroid surgeries, but I never took AIs so don't have that in common with you. To start a new thread, go to the "All Topics" section, find the forum you want to post under and click on that forum. Then look for the button to "Start a new topic."
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Bump
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Lillyishere thank you for posting. I switched to the Letrozole because the Arimadex was messing up my joints so bad, but I am not better off joint wise with the Letrozole. And if there is even the chance it is messing up my thyroid then I want off of it. I have an MO appointment next week, going to discuss the possibility with them. Take care!
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Howdy albc70,
I was dx with IDC in OCt 2017 and had my BMX Jan 2018. I had been seeing an Endo at MDANDERSON for years for thyroid nodules and hypothyroidism. In 2019 I started experiencing hyperthyroidism with all the symptoms. They diagnosed me with Graves’ disease and told me I didn’t have thyroid nodules just a lumpy thyroid. They decided I needed a total thyroidectomy to get my symptoms in check. Pathology came back as a 3 cm PTC on my left lobe. Ugh. I agree that there must be some relation but the oncologists swear they are not related but both my IDC and PTC were both on my left side.0 -
Howdy albc70,
Same here Breast cancer then PTC, Had the same thing happen graves disease hit me like a hammer . While my thryroid did suddenly enlarge it was not until my numbers went crazy and I lost 60 # in about 5 mts. They told me from all the test my thyroid did not have any cancer then ended up finding a 2.2mm spot in same side as breast cancer
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Hello everyone,
For some reason today I was thinking about the hyperparathyroidism that I had way back in 2009 and how there was Swedish research at the time to suggest a connection between hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer. This HPT problem gives you high calcium blood levels which are dangerous. You can read my story at the beginning of this thread and the story of the person who started it, Sam52. We got to know each other really well, but I do not know what happened to her.
I would also love to know what has happened to Ceanna who was a very strong poster on this thread.
I have been interested to read the posts where thyroid problems and breast cancer have been added to the discussions.
I know that when all this was happening to me the breast cancer surgeon, who also operated on me for the parathyroidectomy, told me that the non-cancerous adenoma tumour on my lower right parathyroid had preceded the breast cancer. She was sure of this by the size of the adenoma. She removed that affected parathyroid gland.
I think it is important to keep this thread going.
Best wishes to all of you.
Sylvia
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Hello everyone,
It would be nice if we could keep this thread active.
I remain convinced that my breast cancer was caused by an over-active parathyroid gland that was undiagnosed and not showing any symptoms of which I was aware.
My breast cancer surgeon/endocrinologist told me that the parathyroid problem had preceeded the breast cancer.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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It isabout timewe brought this important topic back to life. Has any progress been made?
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I would like to know if anyone has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and parathyroid disease. I would like to know if there is any up to date information about the connection between the two.
Keep this thread going.
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I have Hyperparathyroidism normal calcium. I was diagnosed with that in 2012. I was diagnosed with bc Feb. 08th 2021. Stage 2. I did find there was a connection and have asked my cancer doctor about it. I wish there was more information on that :(
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Hello,
I had hyperparathyroidism in 2015, had parathyroidectomy (only 1 was removed). My breast cancer diagnosis was in spring of 2017.
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Hello everyone,
I was interested to read the new posts and to see that there was this ongoing conversation about hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer and which one comes first.
You will see many posts from me and Sam52 earlier on in this thread and also in the thread High Calcium. We went through parathyroidectomies back in 2009. I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and hyperparathyroidism in 2005. My breast cancer surgeon told me that by the size of the parathyroid growth that this had preceeded the breast cancer.
Does anybody have any recent information about all this?
Best wishes to all.
Sylvia
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We need to keep this thread active.
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Hello emotional pond and jdstr,
I was interested in your posts in September and October. It was sad that nobody replied. This seems to be happening in the forum. I think there is a connection between hyperparathyroidim and breast cancer. I know from my consultants back in 2005 when I was diagnosed with TNBC that the parathyroid problem had been going on undiagnosed before the breast cancer was diagnosed. Apparently routine blood tests for parathyroid problems are not carried out. My GP told me he had never had any cases and thought they were rare. I think they are underdiagnosed.
Please read all the information on this thread from the first post to the last. You will then have a lot of information.
Please read this thread in conjunction with the High Calcium thread in the forum Not Diagnosed with Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned.
Best wishes
Sylvia
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