Waiting for results For thyroid biopsy

[Eternity6]

Hi everyone I’m waiting for results of the second thyroid biopsy , due to the first being inconclusive: should get results on Thursday my 62nd birthday, so praying they are good results: my consultant did say if this biopsy was again inconclusive then I would have surgery: what do others think, I’m of the mindset that if nothing is showing then why have surgery, I’d rather wait and monitor my thyroid nodule every six months or so

[Nanaedake]

It could be a good idea to have a surgical biopsy as it can definitely determine whether the nodule is cancerous or not.

Find out what he means by surgery. It might be difficult to monitor if the type of nodule is unknown. If it's cancerous, how can they monitor whether it's moved further out into your body? That can't be detected by ultrasound or FNA. If it is benign you won't need further treatment which would be a relief.

Ask what percentage likelihood it's cancerous from results so far and ask if it's possible to effectively monitor it into the future without knowing if it's cancerous or benign. Ask what size the nodule is.

You could also ask for a referral to a specialist thyroid unit in another hospital for a second opinion. Locate a hospital with a unit that does radioactive iodine treatment for cancer. You might find more expertise there in FNA, biopsy and results interpretation. Sheffield hospital has a good unit if you live near there.

[Eternity6 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thankyou very much for your advice, the nodule has grown in size in the last 7 years it is now 2.6 now was 2.5 will find letter with exact measurements on,I’m not near Sheffield but only hour from Addenbrooke’s Cambridge

[Nanaedake in reply to Eternity6]

That is large enough to raise concern on lack of clear diagnosis. If less than 1cm then I believe it is of lesser concern.

[Eternity6 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thankyou

[Hidden]

That is the same thing I was told in the US at 2 leading hospitals. My 2nd was also inconclusive. The original suspicious nodule was benign, but I had 2 small spots of papillary cancer. That was the 3rd and final thyroid surgery I had in my life. Doing reasonably well since. This 76 year old female still works part time, takes care of home, does volunteer work, go to gym, etc. I have had 2 adjustments to the dose of Levo., a bit tired, but OK.

[SassyMH]

Hello Ruby.

I had a similar situation 5 and half years ago, just before my 50th birthday. All my blood tests came back "normal" the biopsy was inconclusive. I had first op which found stage 2 papillery thyroid cancer, i then had to have a second op 4 weeks later to remove the remainder of my thyroid then radioactive iodine treatmemt, the whole process was scarey and inconvenient but I was glad when it was over and icould move on with my life. Everyone is different, we all have to decide what is best for us, but Im glad my cancer has gone. Good Luck.

[Eternity6]

Thank you for replying veteran patient n sassy I’m not so sure now if it is a good idea to wait and see, yes I bet you are relieved your cancer has gone phew

[annnsandell]

My story is similar to SassyMH. I had a needle test which was fine. They operated to remove goitre and did a surgical biopsy which showed papillery thyroid cancer, I had a further operation to remove the rest of my thyroid and then radioactive iodine. The whole experience was more inconvenient that anything else. I am 10 years on and cancer free. Delay can cause the cancer to spread so please don't refuse a surgical biopsy.

[Eternity6]

This puts things into perspective for me , feeling a bit foolish thinking that I could wait and be regularly monitored. Obviously I haven’t had my results back yet they are due back in 4/5 days x

[Batty1]

Did they say why the FNB was inconclusive?

[Eternity6]

Hi batty my first one was on 7 June and I was given second one 3 days ago, I’m still waiting for my results so hoping this one they will be able to tell me what’s going on, will get results in approx 4 days on my birthday lol

[Maramonro]

Don’t remove it just because the biopsy is inconclusive, because a whole body depends on thyroid so you have to make sure it’s completely necessary. I had multiple suspicious biopsies and doctors also recommend to remove a whole thing even though nothing else was suspicious about it, round, soft, movable goiters with sharp edges, but to avoid responsibility doctors told me to remove it. Guess what, it was benign and now they made me sick for no reason. Only 5% of nodules are cancerous and 20% of suspicious biopsies are actually cancerous. So better make sure it’s absolutely necessary as this is the most important organ you have after your brain.

[Eternity6 in reply to Maramonro]

Obviously I’m still waiting for results of my second biopsy due to the fact I’ve had a inconclusive one the first time, this is why I was thinking if second one too comes back inconclusive then what do you do, I had made up my mind that I would wait and be monitored etc , but having heard other ppl have gone for surgery and so glad they did as have found to have cancer it’s a do you go for it or don’t you situation,

[Maramonro in reply to Eternity6]

Even if it comes back inconclusive that is not a reason to remove it unless there are other indications that it could be a cancer. What I learned from my ordeal, which involved multiple inconclusive biopsies as well, that in general thyroid biopsy is hardest exactly for this reason because it doesn’t produce enough cells for definite answer. There is dna testing that is performed in America for cases like this to avoid unnecessary surgeries, and another option is biopsy with thicker needle which can secure more cell samples. Again, only 5% of thyroid nodules are cancerous and most people who are healthy and had no issues with thyroid are not members of this forum. Good luck!

[elicarol]

I have many nodules and goiter for over5 years and I have a biopsy done every year at first now every 6 months they saw that it was a bit larger my tests have come back that I need to come back in 6 months no change since last test

[Eternity6]

I was told when I had the camera down nose few times that I have few more but they looked ok, the one I had the inconclusive result to, had grown in size to 2.6 from 2.5 in 2012 , I don’t know what the outcome of the second biopsy which was taken last Thursday but hoping to know more in 3 days my birthday x how are you doing?

[Anic]

Over 4 years ago I had biopsy which was inconclusive ‘atypical cells’, long story short i ended up having surgery on one half of thyroid first and pathology showed it was papilliary thyroid cancer. Two weeks later i went in to have the other half removed which also had the same result.

I do hope your second biopsy is conclusive and you can have a great birthday.

[Eternity6]

Thankyou very much Anic , sorry to hear that how are you doing now

[Eternity6]

Thanks for that no I haven’t had any report only letter saying that the nodule has grown in size since 2012 , in 2012 the nodule was 2.5cmx1.5cm and at the time of the first inconclusive biopsy the letter said it had grown to 2.6cmx 1.9cmhence having a second biopsy that took place last Thursday, I get results on my birthday in two days, hopefully I get a result this time and not another letter saying inconclusive

[Eternity6]

Well I had some news about thyroid but not the actual biopsy results today, since it’s my birthday today I really wanted both test results so I could get it over with, all that was said was my nodule hadn’t grown from June of this year until now, but not had results of biopsy just praying it’s not another inconclusive one