:0( could I REALLY have cancer???

roseagn74

These past 9 mos. I have been experiencing throat/neck pain. At first I thought it was from not drinking enough water with my night meds. I went through a few lidocaine cocktails at work to get me by, but they didn't work,lol. The pain has gotten to be quite bothersome lately, which prompted me to get it checked. My wonderful ARNP found a lump ... See morethat she felt needed to be examined by an ultrasound. I had the test on October 9,2009. I recieved results and the report read of a hypoechoic noncystic nodule with vascular character 1.2cm maximum dia. in the lower pole right lobe of my thyroid gland. There is also a 4mm vascular nodule hypoechoic focus centrally observed in the left lobe. The gland is otherwise homogeneous in echotexture and normal in vascularity and normal in size. I was told by my Doctor that I would need to find an oncologist. I was scheduled for the next step which was a thyriod scan. It was fine.
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies <10 ref. range <35 IU/mL
Thyroglobulin Antibodies <20 ref. range <20 IU/mL
Thyroglobulin 9.8 ref range 2.0-35.0 ng/mL
Path Report is so hard to understand though Clinical Data:
RIGHT THYROID NODULE DIAGNOSIS: FNA, RIGHT THYROID NODULE: MICROFOLLICULAR PREDOMINANT PATTERN WITH ABUNDANT COLLOID.
MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION: It appears mostly microfollicular with nuclear overriding. Classification: Indeterminate.
Due to the predominance of the microfollicular pattern a follicular neoplasm cannot be totally excluded.
I drove 6 hours to Moffitt to be seen to sch. surgery like edno said but the surgeon didn't act concerned and told me to repeat all tests in 6 months...
it has been almost 3 and I have had no relief from the dull ache in there. I am having night sweats on and off too, can anyone help? Since all tests except FNA came back fine do I really need to have a TT?

BellsAngel69

Hey roseagn74
It looks like you have thyroid cancer. Did they actually give you this diagnosis? It seems they've done all the tests. The best thing is a TT, believe me. If they do a partial, chances are you'll need the other lobe removed down the line.

I don't understand. Are they saying the FNA was inconclusive? There are more markers than the needle biopsy. You can have a needle biopsy come back negative and still have thyroid cancer. Don't stop here, especially with all your symptoms. I had no symptoms and had thyroid cancer. Please follow up!!!

Perstephanie

You need the FNA repeated and a different surgeon, maybe
You were told to get an oncologist? That's odd. I was referred directly to a surgeon. It looks like you're going to have to keep a really close eye on it, but if I were you I would want the FNA repeated to see if they can come up with more conclusive results. Often a second FNA will give them the information they need; you could try to find someone who has a lot of experience doing them somewhere the pathologists are likely to be experienced, too. I can tell you that I didn't get a scan but most cancerous nodules aren't "hot," so they would come back as not producing any excess hormones, and that my bloodwork has always been normal even though I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and a 3 cm nodule/tumor and am going to have to have my thyroid removed, which I'm very very unhappy about. Usually they are comfortable with a "wait and see" approach with nodules that are under 1 cm so that's probably why the surgeon reacted the way he did. It's not a super aggressive cancer, although I don't know how follicular compares really since mine is papillary so I haven't focused on it - I just know papillary is more common and less aggressive. The FNA is going to be the only test that matters in the end, though, when it comes to getting a TT. I really really don't want to have one, and I'm going to have to, very soon, so I don't really know what to tell you except that they can often repeat an inconclusive FNA and get clearer results.

usljh10

I went to the Doctor for pain in my hands,no problems my with throat, he did a neck check and found my nodules.He ordered blood work and a ultrasound.After the results he made a appointment with a surgent.Because the FNB the surgent did came back inconclusive we decided to take just the right lobe out because of size 1.8cm and test for cancer.That was March 3rd he called me on March 5th 2008 and told me it was cancer. After my 2 surgeries the surgent made the appointment with the cancer doctor,he gave me instructions on the RAI and where my TSH levels needed to be before we could do the RAI treatment. That took about 3 wks.I was not on any kind of hormones for that period of time. I did the low iodine diet for 2 wks and when I took the RAI I stayed in isolation for 7 days at home. My meds have been changed 8-9 times over 2 years.We have had a hard time getting my Meds regulated because of my age and other hormone chanqes going on. I also had the night sweats and could'nt sleep.
If you are having pain go back to your regular doctor and request them to refer a surgent.
Good luck.
Lisa

loispol1

Who did you see?
I had a very bad experience there myself last month. Please write me at loispol@aol.com, I wonder if you saw the same surgeon at the same clinic. I am scheduled for TT surgery in Orlando now at another facitlity.

roseagn74

loispol1 said:

Who did you see?
I had a very bad experience there myself last month. Please write me at loispol@aol.com, I wonder if you saw the same surgeon at the same clinic. I am scheduled for TT surgery in Orlando now at another facitlity.

I saw an endo here in NW FL
My path was sent to Moffitt, from hospital where my partial lobectomy was done. I wasn't comfortable with their DX. Moffitt did more tests and I got the call today that I have FTC. so I hope to hear from the DR. there in the AM.

loispol1

roseagn74 said:

I saw an endo here in NW FL
My path was sent to Moffitt, from hospital where my partial lobectomy was done. I wasn't comfortable with their DX. Moffitt did more tests and I got the call today that I have FTC. so I hope to hear from the DR. there in the AM.

I hope all is going going fairly well with you
I have heard that it is a good idea to send pathology slides out if things do not seem right. I may do that myself when I have my surgery. This life experience is so stressful isn't it?

roseagn74

loispol1 said:

I hope all is going going fairly well with you
I have heard that it is a good idea to send pathology slides out if things do not seem right. I may do that myself when I have my surgery. This life experience is so stressful isn't it?

FTC
got the call back on Mar. 26th and it is stage 1 FTC. I am now trying to find a doc in my area to remove the other lobe. The ENT who did the right one isn't concerned that the "nodule" has grown according to the U/S I had a couple of weeks ago.

weberdns

roseagn74 said:

FTC
got the call back on Mar. 26th and it is stage 1 FTC. I am now trying to find a doc in my area to remove the other lobe. The ENT who did the right one isn't concerned that the "nodule" has grown according to the U/S I had a couple of weeks ago.

Hope that you find one!
Sorry to hear that you have a diagnosis, but it is a good stage and early! Let us know what you learn!

LBelle

UGH at FNA's schmancy words...
FNA results are always filled with some schmancy words... That got me so lost, crazy and very upset.

I stress to all of you not to trust FNA results- either inconclusive or conclusive and it's the best to wait til five or seven days after surgery.

LBelle

loispol1 said:

I hope all is going going fairly well with you
I have heard that it is a good idea to send pathology slides out if things do not seem right. I may do that myself when I have my surgery. This life experience is so stressful isn't it?

Slide
Yes I had my FNA slide to transfer from my local hospital's lab to Johns Hopkins overnight... If your FNA shows up inconclusive and you already have full neck sonogram, don't bother to get another FNA. Save your time/stress, have surgery, wait for the final result. That's what I did. I turned down the second FNA in another hospital (Johns Hopkins) because we know that the second result would come up inconclusive anyway.

I had total thyroidectomy and the surgery was a breeze - with lots of hot chocolate milk.