Cold Nodule

[pocket58]

I've been recently diagnosed with cold nodules bilaterally of both lobes from a thyroid uptake scan. How serious is this? My doctor recommends a fine needle aspiration biosopy for further evaluation. He expressed my condition was serious-almost to the point of writing my death sentence. However he retracted when he saw my grave concern and stated that he needed to get results from the needle biosopy. Again how serious is this condition?

[louis61]

I  too had cold nodules and the result was thyroid cancer.   It is a very treatable cancer.  I had my thyroid surgically removed and radioactive iodine treatment.   I am now cancer free.  It is not a death sentence.   Synthroid is the drug of choice for me and I live a very complete and balanced life.   I take it once a day on an empty stomach and feel great.  

There are a few thyroid  cancer support groups .   They are hugely supportive.

FInd the best doctors .   Endocrinologist well experienced in thyca and a very skilled surgeon is crucial.  

I will copy a quote from a thyca website :

Larger nodules - over 4 centimeters, are more likely to be cancerous than nodules less than 4 centimeters
Men's nodules are more likely to be cancerous than women's nodules
A solitary nodule is more likely to be cancerous than nodules found in a "multinodular" thyroid
Nodules in a person younger than 20 or older than 70
History of external neck irradiation during childhood
"Cold" characterization on ultrasound - meaning that the nodule does not absorb iodine or make thyroid hormone
Ultimately, however, approximately 5% of all thyroid nodules are cancerous.


Do your follow-up FNB and remember 5% of all thyroid nodules are not cancerous

[KelDC]

The FNA is the logical next step (it was mine, too, even though my nodules were not cold).  Hopefully, they will get more definite results from it and make a recommendation from there.  Cold nodules are more "worrisome" than others - that is how my doctor phrased it to me.    
Hearing the word "cancer" is very frightening, but don't worry yet.  Most nodules do turn out to be benign, as louis61 said, and even if it is cancerous - thyroid cancer is normally very easy to treat and has an incredibly high survival rate.  
I'm having my thyroid removed next week to check for cancer, so I empathize with your situation.  Not knowing is very stressful!
This forum is a great place to start, and the wonderful people here can direct you to all sorts of great information.  Don't wait around, though - get the FNA biopsy scheduled and done.  The sooner you have some answers, the better.  
Best of luck to you - keep us posted!

[utahmomma]

Everyone has great advice.  One thing I would add is don't put 100% faith in FNA results if they are negative.   Yeah, if they are positive for cancer then you have a diagnosis but it is easy to miss cancer in a nodule so if you get a "negative" result that doesn't mean that there is no cancer.  Two of my sisters had negative FNAs (one had nearly a dozen pokes too) yet both had cancer of the pathology (after surgery).

Just my experience

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03
three sisters with papillary carcinoma