Dr.Guttler’s Patient’sThyroid Blogpost #2 Thyroid nodule and Cancer cytology and surgical Pathology Reports: What Good Ones Should Include and When They May Have the Wrong Diagnosis.

Thyroid nodule and Cancer surgical Pathology Reports: What Good Ones Should Include and When They May Have the Wrong Diagnosis.

Dr.Guttler’s comments: Over 40 years treating patients with thyroid cancer and nodules I have encountered many “bad” cytology and surgical path reports. Reporting suspicious FNA findings resulting in unnecessary thyroid surgery. Rescue of a case with “bad” cytology report with a patient request for a second opinion BEFORE the surgery.

A “bad” surgical path report caused the patient to be treated for 12 years for the wrong thyroid cancer ( papillary instead of medullary) causing her death, Another case asked for a second opinion before the treatment for papillary when a second opinion proved she had medullary cancer and was treated correctly.

Here are the pearls for dealing with cytology and other pathology reports/pathology reports.

1. It is important to make sure your disease has been diagnosed accurately to ensure that the treatment options offered are right for the specific disease.

2.Generally, pathology reports should display the type of cancer, the basic tumor features, whether there is evidence of blood vessels invaded by cancer, the number of lymph nodes evaluated and the number of pathologic nodes identified.

3.Over the years I have seen many “bad” cytology and pathology reports. I review all my patients reports and actual the slides.

4. Some patient’s were relieved they did not have cancer on second opinion.

5. Some left the hospital thinking they did not have cancer, but on pathology review second opinion they did have cancer.

6. Some had the diagnosis of the wrong cancer and were treated for it with the wrong methods.

7. Some with the wrong diagnosis thought to get opinions before beginning the wrong treatment regimen.

8. It all begins with the first cytology report and the first surgical pathology report. 

9.Please get second opinions before you go down the wrong treatment trail.

10. Call me at 310-393-8860 or email to thyroid.manager@thyroid.com for a second opinion BEFORE you have surgery.

Ask for Alicia

Dr.G.