Nervous. What do you think?

[Guest guest]

We have a nagging concern, so I thought it might help to throw it out here.

My teenage daughter's thyca was a 3cm papillary, extracapsular in the left

lobe. PT, TT, then RAI March - June, 2000. Hypo scan (some debate between

radiologists on results at first) and tg neg June, 2001. Never has been

regulated completely. TSH bounces all over, but getting closer now.

Aug. 2001 saw ENT for painful swallowing over a 'lump' deep in neck on

left. Flexible laryngoscopy found swollen lymphoid tissue only, but could

not visualize that far down. Pain subsided in time, but feeling when

swallowing did not.

November, endo palpated swollen nodes in front of thyroid bed. Ultrasound 2

weeks later (we couldn't go earlier with our schedules) showed nodes down,

but a 1cm X 0.4cm area of tissue next to trachea on the left was hyperechoic,

so a US guided FNA biopsy was scheduled the following week. Eight passed

were done with much difficulty due to scar tissue from previous surgeries and

the depth and proximity to the trachea. Cytology negative. Only scant

fibrous tissue and blood.

Endo wants Tg drawn with her other levels in one month, another ultrasound

in 3 months, and nuclear scanning moved up from June to April.

Obviously she wants it closely monitored, but haven't talked to anyone but

her staff. I suppose she doesn't know what it is, and I too wonder why this

area is obvious in contrast to the other thick adhesions in there.

Has anyone had this happen during a follow-up? Thanks in advance.

Donna (Kathleen's mom)