'Dancing' co-host Brooke Burke has thyroid cancer
NEW YORK (AP) - "Dancing with the Stars" co-host Brooke Burke says she has thyroid cancer.
Burke posted a video message Thursday on YouTube disclosing her condition and her plans for surgery to remove her thyroid.
The 41-year-old mother of four says a lump on her thyroid was found during a routine biopsy.
She says in the video that the surgery has been scheduled, but she doesn't specify when. She says it will leave "a nice big scar right here," tracing a line across her throat.
Although initially shocked by the diagnosis, Burke says she now feels strong and confident and her doctors are optimistic. She vows to make "a positive out of this negative thing."
Found in the front of the neck, the thyroid secretes several hormones that influence metabolism, growth and development.
We found out in March of this year that my husband had Papillary Thyroid Cancer, it scared the heck out of me. He was only 42 years old, when we found out. Â We were told initially they just thought it was a goiter and nothing to be too concerned over, less than 3 months later he was being sent for a partial thyroidectomy because one side was inconclusive for cancer, and two weeks after that we found out it was cancerous and he'd eventually go back for a second surgery to remove the rest of it. Â When I heard my husband had cancer initially my heart sank, i cried myself to sleep at night when he wasn't home, and nearly lost my mind. Â We are both doing better now. I'm on medication to help with anxiety, depression, and not being to sleep; and he's on thyroid medication now for the rest of his life. Â He went for his first recheck 2 months ago, and said so far everything still looks good. Â His thyroid levels are right where they should be; and that they got all of it out in one piece and it was still all intact when they took it out. Â We were also told he had an extremely early stage 1 Papillary Thyroid Cancer, which is rarely caught as early as my husband's was. Â I insisted he had a physical last year, and that's how one thing led to another and we found out. Â I'm so thankful that the surgery part is over, he has more energy than he has in a long time, and we caught it extremely early and no need for further treatment at this time.
her "big" scar across her neck is a little dramatic. mine is a very very thin line at the bottom of the neck - one can barely see it and i am sure a little make up after it is healed she will not be grotesquely disfigured. It is scary but the surgery itself is usually relatively "easy". Sending her healing thoughts.
Ummm.... "a lump on her thyroid was found during a routine biopsy"?? I've never had a biopsy as "routine".
My fiance' has thyroid issues and they've been a source of real difficulty for her, so I can empathize with Ms. Burke's problems. I hope that she gets through the treatments and remain cancer-free.
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I had my thyroid out in 1985, and two days later was up on a ladder hanging Christmas lights on our house. Brooke has it a little better if they've already taken a biopsy. Back in the 80's they'd generally just remove the gland and then figure out what kind of tumor it was--and there's one comparatively rare type for which the prognosis isn't good at all. (That's the kind Roger Ebert had.) I went under the knife not knowing what the news was going to be afterwards.
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That being said...yeah, it's the "C" word, and it kind of gives you cause for pause. One other celebrity who's been through this is Catherine Bell of "JAG" and "Army Wives"--she's made a point of not concealing her scar when she works because it's "part of who she is". I can definitely identify with that.
 @Arthur Marriott Catherine Bell shouldn't cover anything when she works.
All the best to her. Having gone through this myself, and knowing the survival rate is exceptional (way over 90%), I can honestly say it still scares the hell out of ya, it's just the "C" word. But as it turned out, the surgery was something of a breeze (as much as it can be anyway), and in general this does not spread, so while there are follow-ups and a scar, I am cancer free and I hope she ends up being all right as well.
@AngryDog Hey, when you get the thyroid removed, did you gain or lose weight? I have a friend who had his removed after being shot in the neck and he is skinny as a rod. Another person I know gained a ton of weight when she had hers removed.
 @northwestsurfer  @AngryDog It sometimes takes a little patience to get the dosage just right. If you take too much and lose weight, the dose per unit of body weight becomes even more and you get thinner. Likewise, if you're not getting enough you can have a sort of "snowball" weight gain. It can also get a little dicey of you take a trip and forget your pills--if you don't get an emergency dose you'll "crash" within a few days, and that's not pleasant at all.
@Arthur Marriott @AngryDog Thats interesting. I take Adderal for my ADD, and have lost ten pounds on it. I wasnt overweight though to begin with, but was interested if the thyroid had a similar effect
 @northwestsurfer  @AngryDog I have not had thyroid cancer but do have Grave's Disease.  Whether you gain or lose weight really depends on how the thyroid levels are controlled.  Too high and you lose weight.  Too low and you gain.  I've been on both sides.  Normal is much better.  :)