thanks MANmom,
is it possible to have an enlarged thyroid, nodule and normal bloods and it NOT be cancer?
1. Yes, a benign nodule and enlarged thyroid can happen with normal blood levels, I had this, too.
2. Yes, I had all normal blood levels, except for my TPOab, I had Hashimotos.
3. Yes, I had thyroid cancer in the actual thyroid tissue, not in the nodules
4. Yes, I had an FNA biopsy diagnosis of "benign follicular clusters", I still had cancer.
I am sure this is not the case for everyone, welcome to the Thyroid Circus! I had one side of my thyroid removed due to hoarseness and swallowing issues (had three nodules, biggest 2.1 cm) and they did find cancer in the thyroid tissue, small tumors less than 2 mm. But when they removed the other side, they found the big tumor in the last nodule, it was 1.5 cm. My sister had one nodule, they found cancer in her FNA biopsy. My nodules were solid and vascular, one was mixed. Good luck, I would suggest to take out the 1/2 with the nodule and do a thorough biopsy on it.
This is likely a benign nodule - with something this size, if you decide not to have surgery, we often repeat the FNA to be certain. Usually lab work is normal and labs cannot differentiate cancer from benign. If you are having pressure symptoms, then have it removed. If the nodule turns out cancer, then the doctor will likely recommend to have the other half removed as well. A benign FNA carries a 90-98% accuracy, depending on who does it and who is reading it.
Remember about 6% of people have microcancers of the thyroid - so when we remove the thyroid, the larger nodules may be benign but there may be a microscopic cancer in the other part of the gland - often these do not require additional surgery or treatment.