Re: stunning & tg --> Gayle

[Guest guest]

(I.. like you.. am a patient) (Nick)

Hi Gayle,

At 1/31/02 02:44 PM, you wrote:

>Hi Nick!

>

>Thanks for confusing me even more!!!!

>

>Is it the combo of scan doses from the prior scan and the proposed new

>scan that could cause stunning or is the thyrogen scan alone a problem?

>Is stunning a definate or a possiblity?

*** It is the 3-5 mCi RAI administered during the Thyrogen process that may

have caused a " stunning " condition. And the condition, if it exists, could

compromise this new medical

work-up and treatment process scheduled.

>My other question pertains TG - is TG (even if I knew for sure that I

>previously had RAI) a less reliable indicator for someone diagnosed with

> " poorly differentiated " thyca?

*** No.

*** As long as cancer cell(s) retain the ability to produce tg.. and if one

has no tg

anti-bodies.. than tg is still an excellent marker for cancer. <--

That's the _good-news_.

However.. if the remaining cancer cells have kept the ability to produce

tg.. but have lost

the ability to _up-take_ Iodine... then treatment may be difficult. This

because RAI will

not be taken up in the cells for ablation. This is just one aspect of a

thyroid cancer cell

becoming " poorly-differentiated " . There are several known and

identifiable conditions that

" poorly-differentiated " cells are known to exibit as they become

" less-well differentiated " .

You're welcome,

Nick

>Naturally, I'm going to discuss this whole " stunning " issue with my

>doctor, and I really appreciate your pointing it out to me.

>

>Thanks again for your input!

>

>- Gayle

> North Salem, New York

> TT 1990

>