scared.........thought negative biopsy meant no problem

[mgmon]

hi,

I had a 'most unusual mass' (path report) biopsied a few months ago.......it was more than 4cm...basically occupied the whole left side of thyroid.  I didnt' see the pathology report, but was told by my dr. it was benign.....phew!!!!   but that he wanted me to see a thyroid ENT specialist, so he could determine if they should try to shrink it or maybe take it out.  (I also had a few smaller nodules on the other side)  I should mention the only reason a nodule was discovered at all was because I had a chest ultrasound for chest pain, and it happened to show a thyroid nodule.

So........took me two months to get into this dr.  (who I had previously met a few years ago when my mom had throat cancer)........and I really like him, and my primary said he was one of the best.  Well, I had never had thyroid bloodwork done.................so just based on the ultrasound film, and physical exam (I have no pain, or symptoms), he believes I have hashimoto's.............and had me have bloodwork done, which included a test which is a cancer marker, and from what I read, its only specific to medullary cancer (it was for calcitonin).  He asked about my family history, and I am adopted, and know no medical history.  So I see him again in 3 weeks, and I dont' know how I'll last that long, I have so many questions now that I'm out of his office!!!  Does he want the calcitonin because something in my films specifically indicated medullary????  Or do you think its simply because I'm adopted, and he figures might as well rule it out.  He said something about how my son would have to be tested.......if...................

OH...........also, as I said the biopsy results were NEGATIVE..........and he said how there can be false negatives.  yes, but from everything I've read, its a very small percentage.............so that makes me nervous that he seems to think my result was wrong?!?!  I saw the path report when he was holding it, and it mentioned hurthle cells.   Is hashimoto's really bad?  I guess I"m kind of hoping since he seems so sure I have that (based on ????) that it is less likely that I have cancer??
I get the sense that he intends to take the thyroid out, which is fine with me, if there is any chance of cancer being there!!!!  If anyone has any insight, I'd appreciate it:))  THANKS!!

[loonette]

I too had fnas that I was told were benign.  Last year (08) my ultrasound showed a follicular neoplasm. The fna done then was benign I was told.   I had a multinodular goiter (Hashimoto's) that began to enlarge in 09 or should I say never really stopped enlarging throughout 08.  Only after the TT was a papillary carcinoma T2 found in the pathology of it.  Another biopsy (second opinion) might be warranted in your case but the others are right when they say you really can't rule out cancer unless a pathology is done.  Hopefully, everything is truly benign!

Another note:  Get copies of lab and pathology reports.  Don't simply rely on the doctor's say so.  With Hashimoto's (at least for me) thinking is oftentimes, fuzzy.  Having a hard copy of any medical reports will help you feel more in control.  You have to be your own advocate!

[ChitChatNine]

I would opt for another biopsy and/or have the slides read for a 2nd opinion and then you'll have a better idea.  My results were atypical; nodules turned out benign but they found small cancer elsewhere in the gland on final biopsy after surgery.

WELCOME!

C~

[blsdnsvd]

Just because the biopsy results were benign, doesn't exclude the fact that there may be cancer....this is what I was told. There is a small percent (15-20) that the cancerous cells were missed. The fact that you have Hurthle cells alone is a concern and the surgeon may suggest that you remove the thyroid. Although Hurthle cells and follicular cells are most of the time benign, they can also be cancer and the fna biopsy cannot determine that. The only way to detect if there is cancer is for the surgeon to remove the thyroid and test it, which is why there are many unnecessary surgeries as well as necessary. I would advise you to seek many opinions before making a decision and ask many many questions so that you may understand everything as far as the thyroid is concern. Hope this helped. Be Blessed.

[Smilerdeb]

I had thyroid cancer..the whole thyroid was cancerous and take a look at my photos in my profile now.
I had RAI and TT last year (2008).
I dont have the 100% ME back but close to it...99%.
I hope that when you look at the pics you will look first at the one of me in a PINK top.....it was when I was dx with Cancer of the thyroid.
THEN look at the pics NOW.

Thyroid Cancer is so easy to treat and a lot more curable than any form of other cancer.
Its the BIG "C" word that scares the life out of all of us.
Research all you can and also write down questions to ask your Doctor.
My last question piece of paper was wrote on the back of the vets bill lol :)

((hugs))

[dawnangela]

Hi, Hashimoto is a Autoimmune disease, antibodies are attacking your thyroid gland and it will eventually not function, i have this, it is picked up in the blood tests and i think they can tell by the scan as what the gland looks like..Im not sure but i think Hurthle cells do go with Hashi, someone else could help you there..Eventually when your thyroid no longer works from Hashi you will become Hypothyroid and be on meds...Or you might already be on them, Have they tested thyroid levels to see? Even if theydeside to take the gland you will need meds..Hope you do find more help on this one...Dawn x