I had a biopsy of a goiter and a "solid mass" on my thyroid. The goiter turned out to be just that, a goiter.

I was told the "solid mass" had "very unusual cells " but that they couldn't be considered cancerous. It's 11 cm now so they want to wait and see what it looks like 6 months from now. My family history has cancer of all kinds all over it. Their point of view is that I'm only 26, I'm healthy otherwise, and thyroid cancer is slow spreading and almost never fatal. Am I wrong in not feeling very confident about this diagnosis? I feel like i want the thing out of my body now. Am I being too rash?

GREETINGS, it's your body and your choice, if you feel you want it out, get it out, better now than to wait for full blown cancer that could spread. No, you are not wrong to feel the way you do.

If the doctor doesnt consider it as malignant, then you should feel better.

There are two types of cancer, those malignant and those benign. Malignant cancer cells are those cells that is fatal that spreads all over the body. while benign not, usually they are just mass.

If the doctor told you that it is just a goiter, i think you should have it removed. Then eat foods high on iodine or use iodized salt everytime you cook.

Goiter happens because the iodine intake is insufficient for the body requirement. I think 11 cm is big enough to be removed.

If they haven't removed it, you should still eat foods high on iodine and it will help. Foods high on iodine are shellfish, prawns, shrimp. crabs, mostly salt water fish. But if ur allergic to seafoods, better stick with iodized salt.

It is your body and what you feel would be the best choice for you is yours to make.

You do also need to understand that removal of your thyroid, thyrectomy, also comes with life long consequences. You will have to take thyroid replacement drugs for the rest of your life to prevent hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism, is a decrease in thyroid hormones which effects your body's metabolism, grow, and development. You run the risk of not only putting on a lot of weight but of also being tired, depressed, having cold intolerance, thin skin, problems with fertility, and menstruation or sever facial swelling called myxedema.

More severely as a result of having your thyroid removed your parathyroids, the glands on the back of your thyroid my also get damaged or accidental removed which has serious consequences. The removal of your parathyroid glands which regulate the calcium levels in your blood, may cause you to have hypoparathyroidism in the most sever case can cause, an irregular heart beat, muscle spasms or even can lead to sudden death.

With all that in mind if you still feel like you must get your thyroid out I recommend you get a second opinion from someone well outside of your doctors network the best resources for finding a second opinion is from the Block Cancer Foundation.