# more confused than ever



## Polkster (Nov 1, 2011)

I have really struggled over what to do with this disease (meds, RAI, or surgery). What is this I hear about a strong link between Graves and thyroid cancer? All I had was a sonogram and bloodwork to confirm my GD. The sonogram showed a small goiter - no nodules. Do you all think I can trust that - or should I insist on an uptake? I was scheduled to have one, but was going to have to go off my meds for a couple of weeks before and that was when I was due for my melanoma surgery and nose biopsy and my GP felt that I shouldn't be plummeting into much worse symptoms then. The endo I saw wanted to do RAI immediately, but all the research I'm seeing (and my GP's advice) says that you try the meds for 1 year to 18 mths minimum before RAI or surgery. They have found so many down the road complications to the RAI and I so don't want that stuff in my system if I don't have to. I don't know if a surgeon would remove it without nodules, but I'm so afraid of it affecting my voice as I sing professionally. I so don't know what to do..... Do I really have to worry about cancer????


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Polkster said:


> I have really struggled over what to do with this disease (meds, RAI, or surgery). What is this I hear about a strong link between Graves and thyroid cancer? All I had was a sonogram and bloodwork to confirm my GD. The sonogram showed a small goiter - no nodules. Do you all think I can trust that - or should I insist on an uptake? I was scheduled to have one, but was going to have to go off my meds for a couple of weeks before and that was when I was due for my melanoma surgery and nose biopsy and my GP felt that I shouldn't be plummeting into much worse symptoms then. The endo I saw wanted to do RAI immediately, but all the research I'm seeing (and my GP's advice) says that you try the meds for 1 year to 18 mths minimum before RAI or surgery. They have found so many down the road complications to the RAI and I so don't want that stuff in my system if I don't have to. I don't know if a surgeon would remove it without nodules, but I'm so afraid of it affecting my voice as I sing professionally. I so don't know what to do..... Do I really have to worry about cancer????


It would be good to have RAIU (radioactive uptake scan) so that you don't have to worry about cancer. Because you already have melanoma, I would think it would be best to rule out cancer anywhere else. Don't you?

Also, you can get Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab. Normally you should only have a little bit of the former and none of the latter.

Thyroglobulin Ab and cancer
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/59/2/429.full.pdf

Thyroglobulin and cancer
http://www.mdlinx.com/endocrinology...963/?news_id=811&newsdt=092010&subspec_id=419


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