Stanley Tucci reveals past cancer treatment 'burned out' his thyroid
Stanley Tucci is opening up about the long-term effects of his cancer treatment years later.
During an appearance on David Tennant's podcast, "David Tennant Does a Podcast With…", which aired Tuesday, Tucci, who revealed in September 2021 that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer three years earlier, shared how the subsequent treatment impacted his long-term health, recalling how he experienced extreme fatigue last year while filming his food and travel series "Searching for Italy."
"I would be so tired in the afternoon, like completely exhausted by 1 p.m.," he shared. "I was like, 'Something's wrong with me.' Finally, I had a blood test, and I was like, 'I know something's f--king wrong with me.' And my thyroid was nonfunctioning."
The thyroid, a small but powerful butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck, plays a crucial role in regulating key bodily functions, according to the National Institutes of Health. It produces hormones that influence breathing, heart rate, digestion, and body temperature.
Tucci said he initially attributed his thyroid issues to stress, but after doctors noticed his unusually high cholesterol levels, they discovered the real cause.
"What happened was, because I had radiation six, seven years ago, it burned out my thyroid," he shared. "So, it's only just happening."
Tucci shared that his New York-based oncologist explained how this side effect can sometimes occur years after radiation treatment. He admitted feeling relieved by the explanation, knowing that it wasn't some "hideous" new diagnosis.
The "Conclave" actor said that he now takes a synthetic thyroid hormone and undergoes regular blood tests to fine-tune his treatment.
While he said the medication has helped, he admitted his energy levels are still not back to normal. "I still get tired in the afternoon," he said.
In a 2021 interview with Virgin Atlantic's inflight Vera magazine, Tucci revealed that he had been diagnosed with a tumor at the base of his tongue three years earlier. At the time, he shared that he was in remission and said that the cancer was unlikely to return.
