Atypical Follicular cells with very scant colloid

[yramirez]

Hello everyone,
I had an FNA done 11/2010 and the results read as follow:  "Clusters of atypical follicular cells with very scant colloid".  Can someone tell me what this means? I had a sono back in 2003 and they found a single hypoechoic solid nodule (left lobe) measuring 0.7 cm and in 11/2010 I had another sono and now they found that the same nodule now measures 1.2 cm with "scattered subcentimeter hypoechoic nodules on both lobes.  Second largest nodule is on right side measuring 0.9 cm heterogeneous"
Can someone tell me what are the chances of this being cancerous?
I don't want surgery but I might have no choice.

[ChitChatNine]

Did your doctor suggest to be retested due to findings being "occasional" and colloid scant?  I am not too good at interpreting the results .. def ask our doctor .. and probably other members will stop by too.

C~

[vkmsherif]

My FNAC result read "Smears shows very occasional sheets of follicular epithelial cells with round to oval central nuclei, fine chromatin and
moderate cytop lasm. No nuclear inclusions/ grooves/ papillae seen. Background shows neutrophils. No hurthle cells seen. Colloid is very scanty.

Can anyone interpret?

[ACNSC]

I had a "follicular" also, mine was much, much bigger. I was told by my ENT surgeon that "follicular is ~very~ hard to tell if it is cancerous or not because it looks the same; cancer or not."..and the best thing to do was remove it and send it off..as FNB will ~not~ thoroughly diagnose either way. Now, like ChitChatNine said, you chances of it being cancer are slim, not just because of the ~type~, but because of the ~size~ also. I had mine removed (TT), not just because it ~could~ be cancer, but because of the size, and strong family history of thyroid issues including thyroid cancer. I have not had the "hypo-hell", but I have had extremely great care with both a ENT surgeon/specailist ~and~ a Endocrinologist. (I think they're watching each other's back,lol)

[yramirez]

I'm getting a second opinion b/c if is nothing to be concerned about I refuse to have it removed.  I like the idea of continuing to monitor with scans and FNA (although I hated the FNA b/c it was painful to me).  I would suck to have it removed and then turns out that is benign and live the rest of my life taking meds to supplement for the missing thyroid.

[ChitChatNine]

Hi,

I think you can ask your pathologist this question, too .. that's what I did when in '06 my nodule came back astypical follicular, too.  I was told, in my case, that 25% of nodules like mine turn to cancer at some point.  For me, that made up my mind to have it out.  Turned out to be 100% benign but while in there they found 2 tiny papillary micros so I am so glad I had the partial done.

C~

[MANmom]

You may or may not have a problem, regardless of which you can afford to wait a while longer.  Your chances of cancer are only 5-15%.  Even if it is cancer, thyroid cancer grows very slowly and rarely metastisizes.  Your nodule is not growing rapidly, I would wait another six months to a year and repeat the FNA.  Surgery should only be performed in my opinion if you are having symptoms that are making your life miserable or if they get a diagnosis of cancer with the FNA.  I would continue to watch and wait, having an ultrasound every 6 months and perhaps having an FNA if they see changes.