Hello and thank you for posting a question. I am sorry to learn that you need to have another biopsy. I can appreciate that this must be concerning for you.

Firstly as I do not know the full details of your situation it is difficult for me to say what is happening in your individual case, but the following general information may be of some use.

Occasionally when a biopsy is taken there is not enough material to make a firm diagnosis and then a further biopsy may be needed. So this may have been what happened in your individual case.

 But even when there is enough tissue the sample is not always conclusive. This is because a thyroid biopsy sample is graded from 1 to 5 by the pathologist. With I being inadequate  (not enough tissue to make a diagnosis), 2 not cancer, 3, some abnormal cells but unlikely to be cancer, 4, suggestive of cancer and 5 cancerous. So when a sample comes in as 3 further tests may be needed to be sure about what is the matter. But most 3 samples turn out to be fine.

I can appreciate that being told that you have abnormal cells may be alarming, but even benign (non cancerous) tumours are made up of abnormal cells.  So if  abnormal cells were seen in your sample this does not always mean cancer. This is particularly the case when the cells are only slightly abnormal as cancer cells are usually very abnormal. As your specialist said that this is nothing to worry about  I suspect that a few abnormal cells were seen, but they probably are not cancerous. But to be on the safe side the test is being repeated as your first sample was not so good..

I can appreciate that it may not be easy to talk with the specialist again, but they are best placed to explain things to you. Their secretary may be able to arrange for you to speak to again.

Until you have the results of the next biopsy I would imagine that it is a bit of a worry, but  from what you have told me I do not get the impression that you need to be overly concerned.

Please get back to us if you think it might help.  You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline.  The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

All the best,

Jean