I have a large hot noduleon my thyroid with punctate calcifications. i thought hot nodules could not be cancerous. what is the likelihood that it is?

Need to biopsy: There is no definite way to know whether it is a cancer for a benign thyroid nodule without a biopsy. You may proceed with a fine needle aspiration biopsy which is a simple needle insertion which is quick and is only a little pain however many times it will require an open biopsy for definitive diagnosis good luck!

Thyroid functions?: A hot nodule is less likely to be cancerous than a cold one. Hot nodules still can be cancerous, inflammtory or infectious. Even if they are not, they could point to an overactive thyroid and as such they should be investigated, biopsied, excised medically-treated or radiated. This is not a statiscal game... Life is precious. Do not gamble. Thanks for heeding the advice.