Hi
I feel a bit silly posting on here because I have not had any diagnosis of cancer up to yet.
I had a neck scan for a cyst at the back of my head and neck pain and do have a little trouble swallowing but nothing major. They found a thyroid nodule by incident.
it's 11mm x 12 mm
It's classed as a u3 apparently and is solid with more of a blood flow than they would like to see.
Anyway I was sent for a fna biopsy and my results are thy1 indertminate. I was sent then urgent to ent and yesterday I was told that they want to do another fna next week and then go back to ent the week after.Â
I asked if it comes back the same what next and he says surgery to remove half the lobe.
I don't really want surgery naturally and asked what percent turn out to be cancerous. He said 20% chance which is 80% chance of not.Â
My thyroid tsh test is normal.
Has anyone with a u3 nodule been in this boat and does anyone know if the nhs do the afirma test yet? Â I've had extensive surgery a few years ago for a cholesteatoma which had grown everywhere and although not cancer it had done a lot of damage.Â
Is it definitely true that with half the lobe you don't need any medication? My function test is fine atm.Â
Thanks to any replies and I realise I have not been diagnosed and 20% chance is low.
Can I just to anyone that does know things about their nodules. Mine is placed right next to the main artery that supplies blood to the brain and heart. Both radiologists who did my biopsies have mentioned this to me. Is this a normal place for them and can they cause damage even if not cancerous.
I have had trouble swallowing and have to extend my neck to do so sometimes and I have neck pain at the back of my head. This was never my reason for my nodule being investigated and it was found incidental, I also have had submandibular salivary gland stones last year and was due to have the gland out but refused and wanted to wait as I removed my stones myself and also cholesteatoma on the left side and the surgery was extensive so I always assumed the sore down my neck and behind my ear was due to this. My neck pain is more a dull ache at the base of my skull just below the hairline at the left side of my head where I had a raised lymph node for years but it was actually a cyst the scan lady thought. It got infected and that was my reason for my scan.
One thing I do not know is which side my thyroid nodule is. I have also had various lymph nodes up for some time all around my neck and head just over a year ago, again thought related to my surgery and infection but they have subsided now.
When I saw the consultant a couple of weeks ago he did ask if I was sore when he stood behind me and felt my neck and I have to say I am but not on my thyroid, it's down where I think the carotid artery is if I look on a picture or the big muscle thereabouts. I have also had my right side of my mouth lazered on the salivary gland there as I had what was thought a pre cancer there. I never know what's related to what so I just accept things and get on with. Lots worse off than me.
I may mention these things when I go for my results as I haven't as yet. They were always thought to be my ear problem. Maybe he knows as this has been ongoing since my op in 2013. I was told eustation tube problems with the swallowing, pressure and trying to equalise them and that was with ent in the same hospital as i am under now so they have my notes. Might be worth a mention do you think. Could the nodule perhaps be causing some of these things? It's only just 12 mm though so I doubt it. I was discharged from ent with my ear last year and they told me my problems were maybe arthritis etc. Now it makes me wonder. The swallowing problems have been ongoing for years but like I say they said it was a blockage in the eustation tube. Maybe it is.
Thanks everyone. I may just take paracetamol then and hope I have a kind and gentle radiologist!!! I hope he won't be up half the night watching the election results beforehand.
At least I can stop stalking the postman for my appointment now...I think he was getting a bit worried about me.Â
I'm going to read through the posts from the last few days then try and forget about it all until the day..Â
Hope good news comes your way  thyroidnodulehelp
Yjoaney may I ask why you had to have five separate FNAs? Seems a lot??
xxx
My past experience of getting my armpits waxed taught me that the best preparation for something painful is a large glass of wine and a paracetamol about an hour before.
Best wishes
Barbara
“Scars are tattoos with better stories.” – Anonymous
QUOTE: HI '' Jessy67
Thanks everyone. I may just take paracetamol then and hope I have a kind and gentle radiologist!!! I hope he won't be up half the night watching the election results beforehand.
Yjoaney may I ask why you had to have five separate FNAs? Seems a lot??''
I have had at least 5 FNAs as unfortunately I have had several recurrences in different places and it has been the first line of test ... eg.. one lump appeared on my clavicle bone and no one was sure what it was, so I had an FNA and it was confirmed as TC so the surgeon then knew what he was dealing with... scans followed before surgery...
Paracetamol really helped me deal with the FNAs...
Good luck next week...
Just back from hospital and at first I went in and the consultant said "the scan report looked good" then went on to say that I had another biopsy and I said yes, then  he said the results are not back I'm afraid. He told us to go for a coffee and come back which we did. He then said that he had spoken to the lab and that he'd told them to get them to him asap. He then said he'd let me know either tomorrow or Monday by telephone. And then said......we've already discussed if it comes back the same we take it out....I said we'll meet that one as and when.Â
So I'm on the wiser really. I know they are supposed to biopsy a u3 and above but I really did not think that two thy1 results meant surgery. From what I read two thy1 results and the risk is reduced dramatically. I will just have to keep busy again I guess.Â
My consultant did ring after I rang his secretary and she gave me my thy1 result. He said as it was undiagnostic again they obviously didn't get enough cells. I said about my options and he said there were options. I said why the rush to surgery then last time and he said because people want to know but I'm not one tbh after reading about my u3 and thy1 results.Â
Anyway he did offer a core biopsy which does diagnose in most cases or a rescan in 3 months. I have opted for the rescan in 3 months time. He seemed ok with it so I assume he must believe it to be benign more than malignant really. They know to a point don't they really.Â
I mentioned my throat and my pain behind ear and head base of skull and he said that my original reason for scan looked to be sebaceous cyst and my ear problem is ongoing cos of eustation tube problems. That is constant and painful and I have a large black bruise now which I assume is my scar from the cyst. That I assume I will have to live with though.Â
Thanks all for listening and putting up with me. I wish you all the very best sincerely. Hats off to all of you that have endured your surgeries and taken the time to help the  likes of me.Â
Hugs to all. Xx
Does that mean you will probably have to have another fna after the ultrasound in three months time?
I'm thinking that I would probably ask for the core biopsy, I just want to know and want it out asap if there's any hint of cancer. I guess it won't hurt you to wait three months really..
I don't get why they just don't do the core biopsy in the first place if it's more accurate for diagnosing.Â
I'm dreading my fna Friday but I thinkÂ
 three months is long enough to be left in limbo and my throat is still sore so I'm eager to get on with it too. I'm torn between thinking it will be benign and then thinking that symptom wise I probably have it.
Hope you manage to put it out of your mind for the next three months. Good luck x
Thank you yjoaney and barbra1...apologies I've only just realised you had both replied.
Wine and paracetamol it is then Friday morning!Â
Thank you for the good wishes. X
Thanks for your kind reply, yes he did want to do the core biopsy but tbh I just want to give it 3 months now. Im not too anxious because surely he would have been more persistent about surgery if he was so bothered that it's cancer. It's a u3 solid, more blood flow than normal and over 1cm and my tsh is normal and it was found incidental. I didn't relate my symptoms to this and after mentioning them today obviously he didn't too.
I had serious head surgery 4 years ago. I had a benign tumour of my ear but it eats bone and had eaten a fair bit and I had a new ear canal, eardrum, piece of my skull harvested where it eaten and eroded bone and ear cartlidge. It was growing on my face nerve and very close to my brain so I had to have the surgery. I ended up paralysed on the other side of my face too with a complication of the shingles virus called ramsay hunt. I got over it tho but I do worry and I know how persistent they were at me having that. I signed there and then when they diagnosed it. This nodule isn't something like that as I see it as yet?? Also there is a good chance of reaccurance of that too so I already live anxious lol.
Surely they will monitor and if it is that in 3 months I can't live not knowing I'm sure I would be offered the same treatment again. I have waited since 6th March already.
Good luck with your biopsy too. I hope it's a good result.
Xx
You have been through such a lot. I hope your next tests give you more reassuring news.Â
I had my FNA this morning and it wasn't too bad really. I find out in two weeks but the radiologist thinks its probably not cancer, because I've had the nodule for two years. I'm not sure if he's aware that the other hospital noted changes last time,.that were not there before. I have faith that they'll analyse the sample and hopefully come to the same conclusion.
He said I need to ask my GP to refer me to a thyroid specialist though. Not sure why, but didn't dare ask, I will just bombard my GP with questions when I get my results.
Just wanted to pop back and thank you all for all of the help and information, its been tremendously helpful in my long wait to have this fna.Â
Good luck to you all and thyroidnodulehelp I will keep everything crossed for you.Â
xxx
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