Q: I have a swelling in my neck. I went for a test, the FNAC report stated - nature of tissue: right adenoma thyroid; microscopic appearance revealed thyroid follicular cell clumps having benign morphology; metaplastic changes; blood and colloid in the background. Impression: consistent with benign follicular neoplasm. How can this condition be cured? Does it require surgical treatment? Can T3, T4 and TSH levels alter the diagnosis?

A:Standard recommendations for thyroid carcinomas are surgery (usually removal of almost the entire thyroid gland) followed by thyroxin replacement enough to keep the TSH suppressed. Surgery removes the carcinoma and also allows detailed study of the tissue, as well as a proper assessment of the nearby lymph nodes to see if there has been any spread. The level of T3, T4, TSH before the surgery do not alter management.