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Edwin Boco
Diagnosis: Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Edwin Boco didn’t fit what most people think of as the "classic" cancer patient. A relatively young 35 years of age, he had never used any form of tobacco, always exercised regularly, and took good care of himself. Consequently, the thought of having cancer never crossed his mind, that is, until his mother was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma.
He was out of town on a Memorial Day weekend trip when his mother received her diagnosis. While he was gone, a friend noticed that Boco appeared to have a lump in his throat. When he returned, he immediately made an appointment with UT Medical Group head and neck cancer specialist Dr. Sandeep Samant. Two days after the biopsy, Boco found out that he had the same type of cancer as his mom.
"A second opinion from another doctor confirmed Dr. Samant’s diagnosis," he explains. "I researched Dr. Samant, and he came back with four stars for his ability in treating this type of cancer. So both Mom and I had him to perform our surgeries."
Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer, usually occurring in people between the ages of 30 and 50. Thyroid cancer is more common in people who have a family history of the cancer and in people whose thyroids have been exposed to extensive radiation. In many cases, however, there is no clear cause for the disease.
Fortunately, there are very effective treatments that can eradicate this type of cancer. After all or part of the thyroid is surgically removed, radioactive iodine therapy targets any remaining cancerous cells. The treatment is generally quite effective, with around 90 percent of patients surviving at least 10 years.
Despite the successful surgery and treatment, Boco says he still occasionally feels the residual effects of the cancer. Since his thyroid had to be completely removed, he must take thyroid hormone medication for the rest of his life. He also has hypoparathyroidism, which requires him to take Vitamin D three times a month.
"Some days, when I get up in the morning to shave, my lower limbs go numb because my parathyroid isn’t working properly," says. "My muscles aren’t getting enough calcium. But I try to watch what I eat and stay active."
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