could this REALLY be cancer, in pain still :0(

[roseagn]

These past 9 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, but they didn't work,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 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.  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 was scheduled for the next step which was a thyriod scan.  It was fine.  

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


Path Report is so hard to understand though

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.

I drove 6 hours to Moffitt to be seen to sch. surgery like edno said but the surgeon didn't act concerned and told me to repeat all tests in 6 months...
it has been almost 3 and I have had no relief from the dull ache in there. I am having night sweats on and off too, can anyone help?

[HLeona]

I had a Doctor that, in the beginning felt my neck, and said there was no need for ultrasound.  He said he felt no lumps.  Well, I insisted, because I felt like I had a toothache in my neck, and I choked on water, once in a while.  Also, I told him I felt like I was wearing an invisible turtleneck.  He ordered me an ultrasound, and they found 10 nodules, one as big as a golf ball.  He still said don't worry, likely not cancer.  Then /i had an uptake test, and the big nodule was cold.  He still said not to worry, but I did.  I had a biopsy that showed Hurthle and Follicular cells.....He didn't even mention them, just said it came back non cancerous.  I went to an ENT, who was more concerned with the findings.  He said when they find follicular and hurthle cells, even if biopsy was negative, you can't be sure.  The whole thyroid would have to come out and pathology run on it.  It was a 20% chance it already was cancer.  He said chances are I didn't have cancer, but better safe than sorry.  I asked another surgeon, and he said the same thing...best to get it out...... I was dealing with this for over a year, and told them all along I thought it was cancer, but they all said it is not likely.  I got another ultrasound, and now I had 14 - 15 nodules, and the cold one grew.  Now all three doctors said, maybe I should get surgery.  Jeez, ya think...lol  I got a TT on January 20th, 2010, and I was right.  It was Cancer.  Every nodule....so strange...  I am in stage 1, so that is great news, and it is the follicular variant of pappilary cancer.  I am on my low iodine diet now, and I get radioactive iodine treatment on March 5th.  I am relieved that I got the TT, but mad my doc didn't believe me from the start.  Most people come back with benign results, but always trust yourself.  You will be fine...... I wish you luck...

[898_1]

Usually the abundant watery colloid is associated with MACRO not micro follicular pattern in hyperplastic (benign) nodules. Neoplasm contains almost no colloid (scant)  You may need to have second opinion for evaluating the specimen.

[blsdnsvd]

I live in NY, however, i have a good friend who lives in fl and also has thyroid issues and is on thyroid med's due to RAI for Hyper thythoid. I will asked her who her doc is and the location. My story: A Goiter was detected years (10+) ago but my doc only tested my thyroid levels, which were ok. In 2007 when i started seeing another doc, he noticed it as well and decided to not only do blood work but ordered a sonogram and fna biopsy on one side of my neck....The sonogram revealed a prominant "cold" nodule. The fna revealed  "benign" follicular clusters"..at that point, I was "educated on what a "goiter" was and it meant to have nodules and was told that i should have a followup in 6mos to monitor any changes. Well, two years past and i went to a endocrinologist who ordered the same tests again, but this time in both sides of the neck, The results were:the same but the largest nodule grew in size and  i had abnormal but benign cells (follicular clusters and hurthle cells) on either side. Although my fna was considered benign, "follicular neoplasm could not be ruled out (10-20%)....I was recommended to have surgery at that time (summer of 09). I was hesitant and nervous after reading the possible negative outcome of not having a thyroid. I went to another surgeon for a 2nd opinion and i wasn't satisfied because i felt like he did not give me a full check up but instead made his diagnosis by looking at my previous fna resport. I waited another month and seeked a 3rd opinion that i found online (thyroid specialist)...This time, i did not reveal to him that i had a previous fna because i wanted him to make his on diagnosis. He did the fna biopsy in his office during my visit. I was impressed with his skills and knowledge. I was "nervous" when he called me within two days of my fna and he told me that there were abnormal cells (which i already knew) and then he sent me for a cat scan w/dye (always had a sonogram). Within a week, i went back to him and he suggested that i have surgery to remove the entire thyroid (same as the other's), and it seemed as if, i was releived when he told me verses the other doc's. I scheduled the surgery for dec 09 to work around my 9 yr olds school schedule. Although, i had no signs or symptoms of the "Goiter" w/nodules (besides uncomfortability when wearing anything around that area), It was a sigh of relief when it was over eventhough i was quite nervous about the pathology report , which  came back benign..

You can alway's have your path report sent to the doc in which you chose for a second opinon. Your main concern should be " the "nodules" . Always be persistent and ask tons of questions, never put it on the back burner because it won't go away. Regardless of the outcome, it can be treated. U will be fine....

[roseagn]

oh thank you for commenting! I too am a firm believer! I would love to find out more info from you, can you tell me ur story? I went to Dr. Bradford something or other at Moffitt in Tampa right before Christmas. I was told it may be thyroiditis and told to take Aleve for 6 weeks. Well there are no change in symptoms and I do hate to go through all of the testing again, I have to meet my deductable all over again, lol. Can you tell me where you went? Moffitt has all my slides, scans, path reports, films, etc. I think Dr. was going to get them read by more path Dr's at Moffitt but haven't heard anything. I am a scrub nurse myself, and an M.A. at a busy family practice in Northwest Fl. Any help u can give will be Great! my mom just had mast. due to invasive lobular Breast Ca. and had it in the other one 16 yrs. ago (lumpectomy for that one) and I have had Uterine Ca. as well, so I have had a total vaginal hyst and then 2 yrs after had my ovaries removed, that was 2005 and 2007.
In Him!

[blsdnsvd]

I am certain that the reason you were suggested to have surgery is due to the type of cells found from the biopsy. Due to the fact that "Follicular Neoplasm cannot be excluded, surgery will be recommended. It seems as if, you should get a third opinion before holding off on surgery, especially since you are having symptoms. I was praying that at least one doc would tell me to wait 6mos to redo the fna but all "three" suggested surgery and just so I wouldn't feel as if they were going by my fna report, I told the 3rd opinion that I did not have a fna so that he can run his own test and come to his own conclusion and it was the same as the other two. I did choose the last surgeon because i felt that he knew his stuff and i had surgery in dec 09, due to possible "follicular cells" (cannot rule out follicular neoplasm) on the right and "hurthle cells" on the left. God Bless You!