Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Thyroid Cancer, Nodules & Hyperthyroidism (Expert Forum)
Hurthle cells
Answered by
Mark Lupo, M.D. - Thyroid Nodules, Thyroid Cancer, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Thyroid Ultrasound
Thyroid & Endocrine Center of Florida
Sarasota - FL
Questions in the Thyroid forum are answered by Mark Lupo, MD. Topics covered include Goiter, Graves Disease, Hyperthyroid, Parathyroid/Calcium Problems, Thyroid Cancer, Thyroid Nodules/Cysts, Thyroiditis, Thyroid & Pregnancy, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Thyroid Tests, and Thyroid Surgery.
Hurthle cells
by busdriver49, Jul 28, 2009 12:38PM
I am hyperthyroid with toxic multi nodular goiter. I had a radioactive uptake and scan done in which they found a few cold nodules with several hot nodules. I had one of the cold nodules biopsied and the FNA results state that my specimen had follicular cells of uncertain significance... abundant watery colloid and groups of hurthle cells. Are hurthle cells actually cancer cells? Isn't watery colloid typical of thyroid cells? My doctor wants me to have surgery. Comparison of my ultrasounds shows no significant growth of this nodule within 4 years. Would you recommend surgery for a patient from this biopsy report?
Doctor's Answer
by Mark Lupo, M.D., Jul 31, 2009 06:09AM
, Jul 31, 2009 06:09AM
Hurthle cells are part of normal thyroid but in some cases can be suspicious for a hurthle cancer. Would have the FNA slides sent to an expert thyroid cytopathologist (eg, Nicole Massoll at U Arkansas or Zubair Baloch at U Penn) -- if still potentially suspicious, then there is an up to 20% chance of cancer and surgery would address this as well as the toxic nodular thyroid.
Member Comments (2)
by busdriver49, Sep 03, 2009 09:09AM
I followed your advice Dr Lupo and sent my pathology slides to Dr. Massoll and my report from her was negative for malignancy. Thank you so very much for being available on this forum to offer an additional medical opinion when we don't know where to go for help. You have saved me from an unnecessary surgery and I am very grateful.
