Hurthle Cell Thyroid

DebraI
DebraI Member Posts: 1
in Thyroid Cancer #1
I have recently been diagnosed with Hurthle Cell thyroid. I have a consultation tomorrow and hope to get some answers to my questions. My doctor told me I could wait to have my surgery until May or after my daughters wedding. Does anyone have any thoughts on this matter as I am concerned about waiting that long?

Comments

  • boitchik
    boitchik Member Posts: 10
    #2
    Hurthle
    Cancerous or non-cancerous ? (Hurthle can be either.) Also you will eventually want to be evaluated (scans) for metastasis. HCC confined to thyroid is much less dangerous than when met has occured.
  • LBlackman
    LBlackman Member Posts: 113
    #3
    hurthle cell cancer
    If possible I would wait. If your Dr. says it is okay to do so. I have had so many problems since my thyroid was removed; due to hurthle cell cancer. I would hate to see you suffering these symptoms when you should be all you can be for your daughter's special day.
  • LizP
    LizP Member Posts: 17
    #4
    Hurthle Cell
    I hope your consultation went well. From my experience the urgency of surgery was based on the size of the tumor. I had a large tumor, (4.7 cm) so my doctor recommended surgery within 6 weeks. If your nodule is small, your Dr. may not see the urgency to have surgery in the next 2 months. If so, I would check if he/she would recommend scheduling surgery shortly after the wedding.

    Fine needle biopsies are often inconclusive for cancer. Even if they see Hurthle cells it may or may not be cancer. Surgery is the most reliable way to determine if a tumor is benign or not. Is your Dr. recommending a partial thyroidectomy or total? My doctors recommended a partial (right lobe where the tumor was). I had surgery at the end of July. While I was under, they did a frozen section test for cancer. Had cancer been found, they would have completed a total thyroidectomy at that time.

    The frozen section biopsies are not completely reliable either. After my surgery I went home and recouperated for a week. The pathology came back positive for cancer. I went back for the TT a week later. RAI was recommended 6 weeks post surgery.

    Recovery from the surgeries was pretty easy. Felt good within a week of the first surgery, and a couple days after the second. The 6 weeks after surgery and waiting for RAI were more difficult as my thyroid hormones were depleted and I went hypo. I was able to work, but definitely more tired and foggy headed.

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