Aa
I need to know if this is cancer Please
Many of you know I kept my cancer in the past to myself and a small group of friends and family so as not to draw attention to myself. I know that is unheard of, lol, but Brenton's ex was going through her own and their children were scared enough. I was diagnosed with uterine CA October 22, 2004. I had surgery in May 2005. I had to wait because my white cell count stayed below 3.0 for quite some time. I was also diagnosed with Cyto Megalo Virus at that time and it would have been a bad idea to proceed. Some of you went through it with me, without really knowing the whole of it. I'm sorry for keeping it quiet for so long, but I felt the need to at the time.
These past 6 mos. I have been experiencing throat/neck pain. At first I thought it was from not drinking enough water with my night meds. I went through a few lidocaine cocktails at work to get me by, lol. The pain has gotten to be quite bothersome lately, which prompted me to get it checked. My wonderful ARNP, JoEllen, found a lump that she felt needed to be examined by an ultrasound. I had the test on October 9,2009. I was taken into a moderately dark room and told to lie down wnd was positioned so my neck was hyperextended so the tech could run a doppler over the soft tissues in my neck. I recieved results and the report read of a hypoechoic noncystic nodule with vascular character 1.2cm maximum dia. in the lower pole right lobe of my thyroid gland. If the measurement of the nodule is over 1cm. ,as mine is, the risk for CA is increased. There is also a 4mm vascular nodule hypoechoic focus centrally observed in the left lobe. The gland is otherwise homogeneous in echotexture and normal in vascularity and normal in size. I was told by my Doctor that I would need to find an oncologist. I researched the area and found one however I needed more testing first, so I started with the bloodwork for TSH, Free T3, and Free T4. The results came back fine.
I was scheduled for the next step which was a thyriod scan. I went to the hospital and was taken to nuclear medicine where a tech scanned my neck and leg to get a "before" look at the uptake of radiotracer. I was told to come back the next day for the scan. I went to work and did my thing, trying not to glow. I went in for the scan the next day and had to lie still with my neck hyperextended and then turned to the right and then the left. The tech measured the uptake. I got the results a few days later and report was normal. There were no cold (usually bad) nodules only warm. Warm and hot are good because that shows the thyroid is working well.
I was then scheduled for my endocrinology appointment. I was very fortunate to get in so soon due to the fact that there are only two in all of Bay County where I work. Usually when we refer patients they have to wait at least several weeks before there appointments. Dr. M was a great help and told me all the options for my case. I asked him what he would do in my situation and he said to do the biopsy. He sent me to do some more bloodwork because he was very concerned I had a condition called Hashimoto's. The results came back fine... all in range, no Hashimoto's.
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies <10 ref. range <35 IU/mL
Thyroglobulin Antibodies <20 ref. range <20 IU/mL
Thyroglobulin 9.8 ref range 2.0-35.0 ng/mL
He looked like he didn't like the fact that all was coming back ok as far as the bloodwork and the scan, that can't be good.
The Biopsy was set for the following Mon. November 2, 2009. I was teched in and taken to a room where the nurse and ultrasound technician met with me. She did a beginning u/s to see where the nodule was and where the Dr. needed to enter to do the bx. The u/s tech said she thought the last person to do the u/s missed something because she found something more. She pointed this out to the Dr. and he was surprised to see that there was something in the nodule, which was solid. The edges of it weren't smooth and he made a joke that the nodule was going to have a baby. At least he kept it lighthearted. He talked me through the whole thing and allowed my husband to sit right outside the door. The kids were able to come back to make sure he didn't pass out. I was in a wierd position for all of this, but I told him I wished I could watch, being the scrub nurse that I am. He numbed the spot with some lidocaine with epi, and then proceeded. The first bx didn't hurt and I only felt pressure from where he had to bounce the collection device used to collect the cells. He had to go in two more times though and that hurt increasingly worse each time. I am still very sore a week later, and it looked like a vampire got me, lol. I was given a two week appt. and went back to work. My bx's were sent to pathology in Tallahassee and the results arrived Friday before I left work.
Report is as follows:
Clinical Data: RIGHT THYROID NODULE
DIAGNOSIS: FNA, RIGHT THYROID NODULE:
MICROFOLLICULAR PREDOMINANT PATTERN WITH ABUNDANT COLLOID.
MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION:
It appears mostly microfollicular with nuclear overriding.
Classification: Indeterminate.
Due to the predominance of the microfollicular pattern a follicular neoplasm cannot be totally excluded.
So, it looks like more surgery is on the way. They will most likely remove the nodule and do pathology while I am on the table and do what needs to be done. There are only 4 types of thyroid cancer two with sub-groupings... papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Follicular is usually not fatal. There have been many who have been diagnosed with normal bloodwork. My TSH has gone through it's high normals and low normals like others I know. Thyroid CA is very rare, as only @ 3% I've been told get it. Usually anytime a report comes bace as the one above the patient is sent to surgery to get a final outcome or dx. If they find follicular cellular activity cancer cannot be ruled out until they take out the thyroid. Maybe I'll be one to hide under the radar on this, huh?
The children know somewhat about what is going on but do not know the severity of it. I have an appt with Dr. M on this Monday at 3:45. I was supposed to wait two weeks to get these results... it has been one and they are getting me back in. I will let everyone know how it goes.
These past 6 mos. I have been experiencing throat/neck pain. At first I thought it was from not drinking enough water with my night meds. I went through a few lidocaine cocktails at work to get me by, lol. The pain has gotten to be quite bothersome lately, which prompted me to get it checked. My wonderful ARNP, JoEllen, found a lump that she felt needed to be examined by an ultrasound. I had the test on October 9,2009. I was taken into a moderately dark room and told to lie down wnd was positioned so my neck was hyperextended so the tech could run a doppler over the soft tissues in my neck. I recieved results and the report read of a hypoechoic noncystic nodule with vascular character 1.2cm maximum dia. in the lower pole right lobe of my thyroid gland. If the measurement of the nodule is over 1cm. ,as mine is, the risk for CA is increased. There is also a 4mm vascular nodule hypoechoic focus centrally observed in the left lobe. The gland is otherwise homogeneous in echotexture and normal in vascularity and normal in size. I was told by my Doctor that I would need to find an oncologist. I researched the area and found one however I needed more testing first, so I started with the bloodwork for TSH, Free T3, and Free T4. The results came back fine.
I was scheduled for the next step which was a thyriod scan. I went to the hospital and was taken to nuclear medicine where a tech scanned my neck and leg to get a "before" look at the uptake of radiotracer. I was told to come back the next day for the scan. I went to work and did my thing, trying not to glow. I went in for the scan the next day and had to lie still with my neck hyperextended and then turned to the right and then the left. The tech measured the uptake. I got the results a few days later and report was normal. There were no cold (usually bad) nodules only warm. Warm and hot are good because that shows the thyroid is working well.
I was then scheduled for my endocrinology appointment. I was very fortunate to get in so soon due to the fact that there are only two in all of Bay County where I work. Usually when we refer patients they have to wait at least several weeks before there appointments. Dr. M was a great help and told me all the options for my case. I asked him what he would do in my situation and he said to do the biopsy. He sent me to do some more bloodwork because he was very concerned I had a condition called Hashimoto's. The results came back fine... all in range, no Hashimoto's.
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies <10 ref. range <35 IU/mL
Thyroglobulin Antibodies <20 ref. range <20 IU/mL
Thyroglobulin 9.8 ref range 2.0-35.0 ng/mL
He looked like he didn't like the fact that all was coming back ok as far as the bloodwork and the scan, that can't be good.
The Biopsy was set for the following Mon. November 2, 2009. I was teched in and taken to a room where the nurse and ultrasound technician met with me. She did a beginning u/s to see where the nodule was and where the Dr. needed to enter to do the bx. The u/s tech said she thought the last person to do the u/s missed something because she found something more. She pointed this out to the Dr. and he was surprised to see that there was something in the nodule, which was solid. The edges of it weren't smooth and he made a joke that the nodule was going to have a baby. At least he kept it lighthearted. He talked me through the whole thing and allowed my husband to sit right outside the door. The kids were able to come back to make sure he didn't pass out. I was in a wierd position for all of this, but I told him I wished I could watch, being the scrub nurse that I am. He numbed the spot with some lidocaine with epi, and then proceeded. The first bx didn't hurt and I only felt pressure from where he had to bounce the collection device used to collect the cells. He had to go in two more times though and that hurt increasingly worse each time. I am still very sore a week later, and it looked like a vampire got me, lol. I was given a two week appt. and went back to work. My bx's were sent to pathology in Tallahassee and the results arrived Friday before I left work.
Report is as follows:
Clinical Data: RIGHT THYROID NODULE
DIAGNOSIS: FNA, RIGHT THYROID NODULE:
MICROFOLLICULAR PREDOMINANT PATTERN WITH ABUNDANT COLLOID.
MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION:
It appears mostly microfollicular with nuclear overriding.
Classification: Indeterminate.
Due to the predominance of the microfollicular pattern a follicular neoplasm cannot be totally excluded.
So, it looks like more surgery is on the way. They will most likely remove the nodule and do pathology while I am on the table and do what needs to be done. There are only 4 types of thyroid cancer two with sub-groupings... papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Follicular is usually not fatal. There have been many who have been diagnosed with normal bloodwork. My TSH has gone through it's high normals and low normals like others I know. Thyroid CA is very rare, as only @ 3% I've been told get it. Usually anytime a report comes bace as the one above the patient is sent to surgery to get a final outcome or dx. If they find follicular cellular activity cancer cannot be ruled out until they take out the thyroid. Maybe I'll be one to hide under the radar on this, huh?
The children know somewhat about what is going on but do not know the severity of it. I have an appt with Dr. M on this Monday at 3:45. I was supposed to wait two weeks to get these results... it has been one and they are getting me back in. I will let everyone know how it goes.
thanks for the note... I went to get bx results (official) and I have to go to surgery. He wants me to find a head and neck who can remove it with video assist. Any suggestions?
Hi,
if it is thyroid cancer, at least be reassured that this type of cancer is usually very treatable (you know that)..... hopefully it will be no big deal and you'll just have to go through with this, but will be fine.
Let us know how you go.
if it is thyroid cancer, at least be reassured that this type of cancer is usually very treatable (you know that)..... hopefully it will be no big deal and you'll just have to go through with this, but will be fine.
Let us know how you go.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
