PTC Tumor in One Lobe, Benign Cyst in Other - Completion Thyroidectomy?

GolfKeith

Greetings. This is my first time on here. It doesn't feel right even calling myself a cancer survivor. So many people have it way worse than me. I feel my experience is nothing compared to what they are going through. My heart aches for them.

Last fall, a "mass" was detected on my thyroid by accident. MRI for another issue discovered it. February 14th (Happy Valentine's Day to me) I had the right lobe of my thyroid removed. The pathology of that nodule came back with two tumors: one NIFTP and one papillary carcinoma. The previous ultrasound and now the recent US has detected another mass on the left lobe. FNA has come back as a benign colloid nodule. Which is great news, but I can't help but wonder if I should go ahead and have it removed…which would mean a completion thyroidectomy. Being that the other side had cancer, I can't help but feel this is a ticking time bomb.

Anyone else have multiple nodules of varying pathology?

Thank you for reading.

J9BND48

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/328054/ptc-tumor-in-one-lobe-benign-cyst-in-other-completion-thyroidectomy

Hi! I’m new here also so can’t begin to give much in the way of help, but wanted to add what my doctor had recommended to me. I have PTC in the right lobe of the thyroid and multiple nodes in the isthmus and left lobe which have not been biopsied and are not particularly suspicious. My ENT is recommending a total thyroidectomy which I feel is the best option for me.

GolfKeith

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715461#Comment_1715461

Thank you for your response. It seems you and I are in similar situations. I wish I would have known about the other mass before the surgery to remove the right lobe. Feels like it would have been an easier decision.

Good luck with your TT. I hope everything goes well and you have a speedy recovery.

J9BND48

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715467#Comment_1715467

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715467#Comment_1715467

My doctor said I know you want surgery without delay, but it is better if I only operate once so she ordered another ultrasound of my entire neck and also another biopsy of the suspicious lymph node so she could get anything abnormal out. I’m so sorry you are facing a decision about further surgery. Hope all goes well for you and you have a good support team.

tammers8

Hello there! New to this forum, but wanted to share that I recently underwent a TT for a suspicious nodule with unclear results via FNA, and it was papillary carcinoma. The shocking piece was that pathology confirmed a small amount of the same on the other lobe, which was never even considered an area of concern. There were multiple nodules on the thyroid but they were not of concern as they appeared cyst-like. So to the extent you have an option of TT vs PT, I strongly recommend the TT to be done with it.

Also, I echo your sentiments about recognizing that others with varying cancer have it worse. That said, I have learned through this experience that we all are cancer patients and survivors, regardless of our experience. Do not fall into an imposter mentality (a lot of folks with thyroid cancer do, myself included) - your experience matters and this impacts you and your family in the same ways folks with other cancer diagnoses do. Best of luck to you and wishing for a speedy recovery.

GolfKeith

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715469#Comment_1715469

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715718#Comment_1715718

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715718#Comment_1715718

Thank you for your kind words. I do appreciate it.

GolfKeith

I just met with my surgeon. While the new US shows an increase in all dimensions of the nodule, he assured me that a lot of factors could go into it, but it is small enough to say the changes are "with the margin of error."

We're going to do another scan in the Fall and then proceed from there. Basically, if I want to have the CT, it's not "unreasonable," and he would support it.

If you have read this far, I hope this has helped you. My one piece of advice is make sure you get a copy of all of your films for yourself. It does take a special program to read ultrasounds (Weasis), but it is nice to be able to look through them yourself. You'd be surprised what you will find.