Thyroid Cancer Leads To Other Cancers

I have tried my best to stay away from negative stories about Thyroid Cancer and Thyroidectomy because I don't need to be extra worried. I am researching it though, and trying to learn as much as I can while I wait for my surgery in August. In my research, I came across a research paper published in 2006 that linked Thyroid Cancer with other cancers. Apparently, if you have Thyroid Cancer, you have a higher chance of developing another unrelated primary cancer.

According to the research, you have a higher than normal chance of developing the following cancers during the first year after surgery: non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, adrenal gland cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

According to the research, in the years following a thyroidectomy, you will have a higher than normal chance of developing: salivary gland, pharynx, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, bone, soft tissue sarcoma, non-melanoma skin, female breast, prostate. kidney, brain, adrenal gland, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, parathyroid gland.

I read a story of someone, shortly after recovering from her thyroidectomy, was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

According to the research, the second cancer is completely unrelated to the first cancer. In other words, the thyroid cancer didn't spread causing the second caner. How is this possible? I have a theory.

My theory is that once you have been diagnosed with cancer, you become super sensitive to your body and start questioning everything. That funny looking mole? That odd lump? No more chances - you get it checked out! Because you have learned the importance of early detection.

My theory is that the rate of cancer isn't higher in thyroid cancer patients. It is simply detected at a higher rate. Perhaps the rate is high in the general population but it is going undetected.

For my theory to have any validity, it must be true for other cancers too. If I have a different cancer (something other then Thyroid cancer) then I should have a equally high chance of developing some other cancer. Well... unfortunately the 2006 study only looked at Thyroid Cancer. But it did say this: people who had other cancers had a higher chance of developing Thyroid Cancer as a second primary cancer. While the 2006 study didn't look at all cancers, it does provide evidence for my theory. It says, basically, people who have had other cancers might be more sensitive to cancer leading to detection of other cancers, in this case, detecting Thyroid cancer.

I am not a scientist. I am just applying common sense and a little wishful thinking. I am discouraged to know that I have a higher chance of developing some second cancer. But I am rest assured by my theory that I would have developed that second cancer anyways and it might have gone undetected.