A lump in the thyroid gland, be it dying tissue or an accumulation of fluid-filled cells, is worthy of evaluation. A necrotic or cystic thyroid mass indicates thyroid disease, but not necessarily cancer.
Necrosis
A necrotic mass, be it in the thyroid gland or elsewhere, describes dead tissue that has been killed as a result of disease or trauma, either internally or externally. The cause may be anything from an insect bite to cancer.
Cystic
A cystic thyroid mass refers to a nodule (a lump of thyroid cells) that is filled with fluid. Thyroid cysts usually are not cancerous, although cystic nodules that are solid or semi-solid (complex nodules) possess a higher tendency toward malignancy.
Significance
The presence of a thyroid cyst does not necessarily confirm that the tissue is dead or cancerous. However, in some cases, it may indeed suggest this. "Some biochemical markers indicate that autolysis (tissue destruction by enzymes) or necrosis of thyroid tissue may also contribute the composition of thyroid cyst fluid," according to a 1997 report in the Biological Trace Element Research journal.
Diagnosis
An ultrasound of the neck will provide information of the size, location and consistency of the thyroid mass. Surgical removal of part of the thyroid for testing or a fine-needle biopsy will determine the presence of cancer.
Treatment
Cancerous growths will be removed surgically, while non-cancerous nodules should be monitored and inspected each year with a thyroid-friendly diet instituted.
Tags: thyroid mass, cystic thyroid mass, lump thyroid, thyroid cyst, thyroid gland
