Are thyroid nodules always thyroid cancer? i have a thyroid nodule and my levels of some thyroid hormone are low. my doctor wants to do more tests, but i dont really understand what he said. do i have cancer, or could it be something else?

Over : Over 95% of thyroid nodules are benign. Therefore the risk of cancer is low, but can be increased in younger or older people, people with a family history of thyroid cancer, or people who have been exposed to radiation (x-rays do not count). Sometimes benign thyroid nodules can secrete extra thyroid hormone, more than your body needs. If your doctor is suspicious of this, they will order a nuclear study called a thyroid uptake and scan. If a nodule is over a centimeter, that is when we usually will perform a fine needle aspiration to get a sample of cells in the nodule. If nodules are under a centimeter and there is no evidence of over activity, we can simply monitor with serial ultrasounds.

No.: There are many things that can cause this most of which are benign. Bloodworm and an ultrasound and rarely a small biopsy can answer specifically what your cause is. Most are benign in nature.