Hurthle Cell Neoplasm

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I'm new here.

I have an 18 year old daughter whose biopsy results came back today as:

Hurthle cell neoplasm

which sent me running to Google.

UGH...

She started presenting with symptoms about 3-4 months ago. She was feeling

sluggish and would get spells of feeling like she was going to black out

occasionally. I told her to make a doctor's appointment, and she didn't. Then

about a month and a half ago, she found a lump in her throat, and I called and

made the appointment for her. The FP dr. did a TON of blood work, and nothing

came back awry. It showed the presence of Epstein Barr antibodies, which means

that she has been exposed to mono at some point. The FP doctor said, " It's a

swollen lymph node, you've got mono, take two aspirin and call me in the

morning...you can go see an ENT if you want to " .

So, I took her to see the ENT, and upon his first examination, he said, I don't

think this is a lymph node, this appears to be a thyroid mass. She had a CT scan

of her neck which confirmed that it is indeed a thyroid mass. It is 2.5cm and I

heard him tell the pathologist that he thought it was partially necrotic. That

was followed by an FNA and the results came in today. He wants us to come in to

discuss our treatment options and we have an appointment on Monday. He's already

told me that partial thyroidectomy is going to be his recommendation.

I am scared - really really scared. My daughter, on the other hand, is cool as a

cucumber. The doctor told her before the FNA that, in malignancy, they remove

the thyroid, and everything is usually hunky dory. So she's operating under that

assumption, which is good. I don't want her worried.

I have a few questions:

I really like this ENT. He is very thorough and has quite possibly saved my

daughter's life. Is he the right doctor to perform this surgery?

At what point, do I involve a specialist? What kind of specialist?

If her thyroid is partially removed, and it's benign, does life go on as normal?

Will she need Synthroid?

I appreciate any advice, answers, prayers, etc.

By the way, we're located in Frisco (north of Dallas). Doctor recommendations

are appreciated as well.

Thanks again,