thyroid tumor diagnostic steps

fgin said:

My friend 51 yr female has just diagnosed with thyroid
tumor. It is not yet which type of 4 thyroid tumors,
whether it is benigh or malignant. Otherwise she is
excellent health. Previous signs: periodic swollen of area
at thyroid, has been taken thyroid medicine for last 1
year for thyroid hormone inbalance. Family history all
known members had thyroid problem/cancers. Hospital test
of ultrasound show abnormal. Next step is to do biopsy.
Question: do hospital normally perform MRI / CAT for
thyroid cancer? What is the drawback? What are treatments,
risk/benefit/alternative? What are different types of
thyroid cancers?

Hi, 4 of us have thyroid conditions. As far as I know, I was
the only one with a nodule. I had fine needle biopsy and it
was benign. The vast majority of nodules are benign.
Apparently they do ultrasound of the thyroid. Most of your
questions about thyroid cancer are answered here
endocrineweb.comthyroidca.htmlOpen ↗ Best wishes, hope
hers is benign also. J-not a doctor

fgin said:

My friend 51 yr female has just diagnosed with thyroid
tumor. It is not yet which type of 4 thyroid tumors,
whether it is benigh or malignant. Otherwise she is
excellent health. Previous signs: periodic swollen of area
at thyroid, has been taken thyroid medicine for last 1
year for thyroid hormone inbalance. Family history all
known members had thyroid problem/cancers. Hospital test
of ultrasound show abnormal. Next step is to do biopsy.

Next step should be a scintigram of the thyroid. If thats
also positive, then biopsy.

Quoted message said:

Question: do hospital normally perform MRI / CAT for
thyroid cancer?

If the biopsy is positive for cancer, staging is needed.

Quoted message said:

What is the drawback? What are treatments,
risk/benefit/alternative?

Depends on tumor stage and histology. Operation and radio-
iodine treatment are the most common treatments. Some
need EBRT.

Quoted message said:

What are different types of thyroid cancers?

Well-differentiated such as papillary ca, anaplastic,
medullary.
--
madiba

www.thyca.org is a good source of information on thryoid
cancer. There is also a list-serv for thyroid cancer, as
well as local support groups. They were a great help to me.

Links are in the ThyCa web site. Best wishes. bj

"fgin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My friend 51 yr female has just diagnosed with thyroid
tumor. It is not yet which type of 4 thyroid tumors,
whether it is benigh or malignant. Otherwise she is
excellent health. Previous signs: periodic swollen of area
at thyroid, has been taken thyroid medicine for last 1
year for thyroid hormone inbalance. Family history all
known members had thyroid problem/cancers. Hospital test
of ultrasound show abnormal. Next step is to do biopsy.
Question: do hospital normally perform MRI / CAT for
thyroid cancer? What is the drawback? What are treatments,
risk/benefit/alternative? What are different types of
thyroid cancers?

"fgin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My friend 51 yr female has just diagnosed with thyroid
tumor. It is not yet which type of 4 thyroid tumors,
whether it is benigh or malignant. Otherwise she is
excellent health. Previous signs: periodic swollen of area
at thyroid, has been taken thyroid medicine for last 1
year for thyroid hormone inbalance. Family history all
known members had thyroid problem/cancers. Hospital test
of ultrasound show abnormal. Next step is to do biopsy.
Question: do hospital normally perform MRI / CAT for
thyroid cancer? What is the drawback? What are treatments,
risk/benefit/alternative? What are different types of
thyroid cancers?

The only good way of making an accurate diagnosis is a
biopsy. Thyroid cancers are best considered either well
differentiated, which are treated by surgery and radioiodine
usually, or poorly differentiated, best treated by surgery
and eternal beam radiotherapy. There are some rare thyroid
cancers, too. That's why a biopsy is necessary Try w-w-Open ↗
ww.bccancer.bc.ca/PPI/TypesofCancer/Thyroid/default.htm

[email hidden] (fgin) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My friend 51 yr female has just diagnosed with thyroid
tumor. It is not yet which type of 4 thyroid tumors,
whether it is benigh or malignant. Otherwise she is
excellent health. Previous signs: periodic swollen of area
at thyroid, has been taken thyroid medicine for last 1
year for thyroid hormone inbalance. Family history all
known members had thyroid problem/cancers. Hospital test
of ultrasound show abnormal. Next step is to do biopsy.
Question: do hospital normally perform MRI / CAT for
thyroid cancer? What is the drawback? What are treatments,
risk/benefit/alternative? What are different types of
thyroid cancers?

MRI, CAT and PET scan's have all been used on me. I have
recurrent mestatic papillary thyroid cancer. Three surgeries
and 2 mega dose of radio active iodine. I've had cancer for
nine years, going on ten. It also will depend on which type
of thyroid cancer

I've had 3 fine needle biopsy's and they never showed any
signs of cancer, even though it was there. Also had a guided
needle biopsy, same result and very painful.

Best wishes for you and your friend. Jill