CR Day 30: 12th Opdivo infusion; thyroid cyst is benign

Yesterday Hopkins posted the results of the pathology examination of my thyroid biopsy. The review apparently took some time because the amount of cells removed during the biopsy was "less than optimal." The first pathologist who reviewed the slides concluded that the small amount of tissue was "inadequate" to determine the cell type. Then the senior doctor who did the biopsy and a second pathologist reviewed the slides and concluded that, although there was a "scant specimen," the tissue was "most consistent with an adenomatoid nodule." Another line of the report simply stated, "Category: Benign."

For what it's worth, the Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Association has a good page explaining thyroid biopsies and adenomatoid nodules. As Wikipedia succinctly states, an adenomatoid nodule is "a benign tumor of the thyroid gland." Today, Dr. Hahn told me that it was something we didn't need to worry about. Unless it grows so large that I can't breathe or otherwise is interfering with my life, I'll continue to ignore it.

My 12th infusion of nivolumab was routine. My labs were boringly ordinary, and everything ran close to schedule.

I'll have another CT scan on August 11, and my next infusion will be on August 13. It will be a three week gap between infusions because, this Sunday, the family and I are leaving on a 16 day trip to Africa. We've been thinking about a safari for a while, and after getting the good news of my complete response, we decided that it would be a great way to celebrate. I'll post our itinerary before we leave, will compile a travelogue along the way, and will post it after we get home.