Hurthle Cell

On physical exam August 2007 my doctor found a tiny lump on my thyroid. I had ultrasound and a nuclear scan, which showed it was a "cold nodule" (not productive thyroid tissue). FNA last month showed Hurthle cells, which I am finding conflicting info about online.

Basically the path lab recommends removal of that lobe of the thyroid, my ear, nose and throat Dr. who did the aspirate said "Hurthle cells occur in lots of thyroids" and "we used to just watch these", but he has to recommend removal because the lab says so.

Obviously I am not real eager to go through surgery, so I am posting here today to see what other people's experiences and feelings are about this. The lump is still so small I can barely find it.

Thanks! 

 

Hi, I two had a FNA and they discovered hurthle cell and could not tell if it was cancer.  I was told by and Endo and a Surgeon that it should be removed to really tell if it was cancer.  Had the surgery and it was found to be cancer and had a TT removal.  That was just a year ago and I have also had the RIA and just went throught my follow up scan with the thyrogen shots.  Everthing is going well with not recurrance so far.  I feel very lucky that I had the surgery for the throid removal.  I would do everything over the same way.  I hope things go well for you and will keep you in my prayers. 

Thanks for your response. I need this kind of feedback to help me decide what I need to do. So they took the lump first, or the lobe it was on, and then the whole thyroid? How large was the lump that you had?

Like the message above from saleslady, I too was diagnosed a year ago with hurthle which had not spread outside the thyroid.  Had TT in April, RAI in June, and am now getting ready for my year followup scan using Thyrogen.  All of my labs have been good so far and I'm hoping for a "clean" scan in a couple of weeks!     SUE

Dliana, in response to your questions, I had my first surgery and they did a frozen biopsy on the half of my throid which was removed and it did not show cancer.  But later when it was sent to the path. in Ia City they found cancer and the other half was removed.  I ended up with two surgeries and the second half of the throid was not cancer when tested.  I could not even feel the lump as it was small but it was found while my dr. was doing a pet scan  for another problem-which turned out to be nothing. If it where not for her pursuing  my lung problem(which was nothing) I would have not have foung the nodule on my throid.  Really feel lucky-had some great dr.s and am doing very well.  Again any questions just ask.  Good luck.

Did the lab find cancer? I have 3 nodules they tested the largest one over a year ago and found it to have Hurthel, but no cancer. The other two were small they were not tested. Well all three have grown in the last year and I have hyperthyroidism. So now I am seeing another doctor in May.  So I really am worried about them growing, but having hyperthroid not sure if it is cancer. Conflicting info on the web. Thanks.

When i had my first surgery the frozen section showed no cancer, but when the lab go the nodule they found the cancer.  Both of may dr's. recommended the removal of the other side of the throid.  The other side was cancer free, but both said I should have the RIA, which I did.  As I said I just finished my full body scan with the thrygren shots.  Everything is clean right now and things are going well. 

 

On 4/2/2008 Deliana wrote:

On physical exam August 2007 my doctor found a tiny lump on my thyroid. I had ultrasound and a nuclear scan, which showed it was a "cold nodule" (not productive thyroid tissue). FNA last month showed Hurthle cells, which I am finding conflicting info about online.

Basically the path lab recommends removal of that lobe of the thyroid, my ear, nose and throat Dr. who did the aspirate said "Hurthle cells occur in lots of thyroids" and "we used to just watch these", but he has to recommend removal because the lab says so.

Obviously I am not real eager to go through surgery, so I am posting here today to see what other people's experiences and feelings are about this. The lump is still so small I can barely find it.

Thanks! 

 

I say "better to take it out while it is still small than let it grow into some big tumor that also attacks the lymph nodes and other organs!"  The day of my surgery I had to wait all day for my surgery to begin because the surgery before mine took over eight hours to remove the baseball size tumor that had grown in the guys chest area!  My surgery was pretty short and I am most grateful that I didn't experience what he did.  Those things do not go away - they just get bigger!  The surgery for me was pertty easy & my fear related to it far outweighed the actual surgery!

Hope this is helpful............

Hi Deliana I am now a 42 year old woman, who had what was believed to be a multi-nodule goiter at the age of 36, which after 2-1/2 years of fine needle aspiration biopsies, . Hurthle cells were found. Before they found the hurthle cells, I had 4 to 5 fine needle biopsies (not ultrasound guided) that all read fine or insufficient cell count which was alright, a nuclear scan which also found a cold spot and then a ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy. The ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy finally found the hurthle cells, at which point I was received a call at work and then had surgery within two weeks to remove the tumor. The tumor at this time was 4 x 4 x 1.8 cm and my daughter was 2-1/2 years old. The cells were in the left lobe of my thyroid, 3-1/2 years ago. The frozen section biopsy done at the time of surgery showed the tumor was benign and it was decided that the right lobe (which also had numerous clear solid nodules) was not removed or biopsied. If it would have been my choice, I would have had the entire thyroid removed, but the surgeon did not feel as I did - he did what he felt was right for me ( I believe this with all sincerity). I have been tested ever since, on a yearly basis. The largest nodule on the right lobe (which was left at the time of surgery) was 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm, it is now 2.1 cm x 2 cm. After the last ultra sound, I had another fine need biopsy (first time since the last surgery). I have been told the biopsy is completely benign. I am so grateful that it is benign, but kind of feel as though I am playing a dangerous game of risk and live with the constant fear that they will come back. The two doctors, I am seeing have differing opinions on how to approach hurthle cells and from what I have read they usually appear in tumors approximately 3.9 cm in size- not sure what anyone else reading this has found through research or doctor consultation, but it has now been 6 years for me since this started and I am not sure if I should agree to having surgery when there are no cells present or if the cells will suddenly appear, again as the nodules grow, which is seems to be doing slowly. All I know is that if the hurthle cells are there they need to be taken out - you don't want to keep worrying about them mutating into something else. It would be helpful to hear from others who have had the same type of experience ****or has anyone been in touch with the mayo clinic on this sort of scenario? I have posted a question, but have had no response as of yet. Are there any doctors out there reading this who could share some insight to those of us who are in similar situations??