Good lord, he wants to take out the whole thyroid gland and he doesn't even know for sure it is cancer??

My view: Forget it.

Get a second or third opinion. Needle biopsy of the lump if you must. If it comes up cancer, then do another round of deliberations at that point.

Thyroid is a vital organ. Not something to cut out at a whim.

I'f had half mine cut out and sorely regret it.

I've got 2 nodules and treat myself with iodine. Good results so far in shrinking the nodules.

Hi Crackrock,

One morning last summer I felt a painful lump on my neck while showering. Looked in the mirror and it was about the size of a golf ball. Had never noticed anything there before.

I had just returned from Africa and was afraid it was some type of parasite...

Turns out I had two thyroid nodules on the left lobe - growing rapidly - the one in the front was the visible one, but the one on the back began to impede swallowing and my vocal cords -

My surgeon agreed to biopsy DURING surgery so that if it was not cancer, he could leave the right half of my thyroid...and I am grateful that it turned out that way. I did not want to do the RAI treatment and need to supplement with thyroid hormone for the rest of my life unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.

Since mine turned out not to be cancer, I haven't done much research on thyroid cancer - can only give you my 2 cents - which is even though surgery may seem radical, I am happy that I have those nodules out and the right half of my thyroid is performing just fine and my TSH and other thyroid tests are normal.

Stay calm and good luck with your decision.

You need to take care of this situation before it becomes systemic and snowballs into a much larger problem. The cancerous tissue does need to be removed, and the remaining normal thyroid tissue will continue to work. Periodic retesting should be done to monitor the function.

It's important for your primary care physician to work together with your endocrinologist and surgeon - and for you to keep them current on any health changes.

My surgeon was a specialist who only does head/neck procedures and performed my partial thyroidectomy. In my case, I also have Hashimoto's thyroiditis that is well managed with a thyroxine supplement. No problems with 'feeling old', weight gain, or other symptoms.

Good luck, cheers to a speedy recovery :)