# September Is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Good thing our poster researcher said something!

Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month is listed in the American Hospital Association's Calendar of Health Observances & Recognition Days.

http://www.thyca.org/awareness.htm


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

While I believe raising awareness is important, the fact that thyroid cancer is the fastest increasing cancer (setting a record in 2012) does beg the question: is anyone or any group TRULY looking into WHY we're seeing such an increase?

Is it truly an increase in cancer cases, or is it simply an increase in diagnoses made (while other cases go undetected)? If it's truly an increase in cases, then why are we seeing such an increase? Clearly we're causing it ourselves, but how? X-rays? Nuclear energy? Food chemicals? Cell phones? Voodoo dolls?

If it's so easy to cure, is it just as easily avoidable? Similar to asbestos-related illnesses, are we going to find out years down the road that something we're doing or eating is causing this?

Just venting and putting some questions out there...


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## Julia65 (Aug 7, 2012)

I think my cell phone has something to do with my thyroid cancer. I always talk on my right side, always. That is where my cancer is. Just my own theory though. I'm glad you brought that up, because I have wondered the same thing.
Although, I also had my tonsils out as a kid and wonder if I had some neck x-rays associated with that. Hmmmm....


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I don't know...I always talk on my cell phone on my left side, but my cancer was on the right. My dad is a retired nuclear engineer, so we always lived within 45 minutes of a nuclear power plant, but nobody else in my family has had thyroid cancer. I had a lot of dental x-rays when I had braces as a kid; also had my tonsils out at age 4 or 5, but I can't imagine that x-rays were all that common for that, since they're visible through an open mouth. ???

I do wonder if anybody is doing any truly scientific studies to see how those of us with thyroid cancer may have lived differently than people without it.


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## Julia65 (Aug 7, 2012)

Octavia said:


> I had a lot of dental x-rays when I had braces as a kid; also had my tonsils out at age 4 or 5, but I can't imagine that x-rays were all that common for that, since they're visible through an open mouth. ???
> 
> I do wonder if anybody is doing any truly scientific studies to see how those of us with thyroid cancer may have lived differently than people without it.


I had braces too. Yes, lots of x-rays. Interesting.


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## sophie.j (Sep 1, 2012)

i don't get my pathology results for a few more days but i use my mobile phone on the right, and my nodule was on the left. i've also only ever had an x-ray on my back, and eat a healthy vegetarian diet. very interesting to think about though! i think it could just have something to do with more people are being diagnosed. i think a lot of people are more conscious of illnesses these days and generally more aware to look out for things. and problems are more well understood. i definitely think diet is very influential, especially the relation between meat (especially red) and cancer.


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