Benign Nodule with Hurthle cells?

[C3444]

Last year my gyn found a lump in my neck. She tested my thyroid and everything looked fine except for my tgab was 1270 (<41). She sent me to an endo for an ultrasound that showed a single hypoechoic solid nodule 2cm. Biopsy was inconcusive. A year later follow up. Nodule is now 3.6cm ill defined solid hypoechoic heterogenus. New 2cm hypoechoic ill defined heterogenus nodule on other lobe. Fna report says benign on both nodules. Here is what is said follicular cells, hurthle cells, coloid, lymphocytes, neutrophils, erythrocytes. My question is this...are hurthle cells normally seen on fna's? It says nothing about hashi's just benign. What is my next step?  Ignore it?  Very vague.

[choirgirl]

I had a biopsy and had Hurthle cells.  I had read everything and figured that it couldn't possibly be cancer.  My doctor said that because you cannot determine if there is cancer in Hurthle cells until you have it out, that I should have my thyroid out.  I was mad.  I didn't want an unnecessary surgery (I am a singer).  However, he scared me enough about the danger of Hurthle cells and how they spread cancers, that I had the surgery.  I had cancer.  I was grateful to my doctor for making me have the surgery - they caught it in the very early stages and when it was small and still encased fully in the thyroid.  I did not have radiation.  I am 4 years post surgery and still cancer free!  

I say, don't mess with Hurthle cells.  They are not good!  They make it impossible for them to determine if you have cancer or not.  Just their presence is a bad thing.

Best wishes on your decision.  It was the best one I made in a long time.

[C3444]

Thank you for the information.  Everything I have read states that there is no way to determine if Hurthle cells are benign or malignant unless the remove it surgcally.  For Thyroid cancer being so rare, I have found many many people that have or have had it.

Thank you so much for responding.

[MANmom]

No, do not ignore it. Follicular and Hurthle cells are not normal, the presence of these could indicate cancer.  My biopsy revealed "benign follicular clusters" but when they removed 1/2 my thyroid, the found cancer.  Your Tgab is also high, that is also sometimes another marker for cancer.  If I were you, I would get a second opinion, have another biopsy, or maybe consider having the side of the thyroid with largest nodule taken out.  Then you will know for sure.