Do I have thyroid cancer?

This is a question that I have asked myself countless times over the years. Why? Because I have a thyroid nodule! Thyroid nodules represent cancer about 5% of the time, so the good news is that most people with thyroid nodules (about 15% of the population) will be shown to not have cancer. How do you know? Well, in my case I've had ultrasound evaluations routinely over time and two fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNA) - one of which was inconclusive and the other indicating benign disease. Could I still have thyroid cancer? In my case, I certainly don't think so but given I have several high risk factors for cancer, I'm keeping an eye on my thyroid!

But, how do you know if you have thyroid cancer? By the same methods! Get your thyroid checked by your doctor with every routine physical exam you have. Ultrasound is the next step if your doctor has a concern. I offer free thyroid screening events throughout the year, so sign up for my thyroid newsletter and you'll be informed when these free events happen!