“Adam’s apple”
A patient says that she has recently noticed a lump in the front of her neck below her “Adam’s apple” that seems to be getting bigger. During the assessment, what finding would lead the nurse to suspect that this may not be a cancerous thyroid nodule? Explain your answer.
a. It is tender.
b. It is mobile and soft.
c. It disappears when the patient smiles.
d. It is hard and fixed to the surrounding structures.
If the nodule is soft, smooth and mobile, there are good chances that the nodule is benign. If the nodule is firm, hard, irregular and fixed, the nodule may be malignant. Typically, the nodule will feel firmer than the rest of the thyroid gland. Although the chances are low that a thyroid lump is cancerous, early detection is important.
Sample Solution
The answer to this question is b. It is mobile and soft. This is the most telling sign that the lump in the patient’s neck may not be a cancerous thyroid nodule, as these types of nodules tend to feel hard or firm when touched. Studies have shown that non-cancerous thyroid growths are typically softer than malignant ones (Gross et al., 2015). In addition, non-cancerous thyroid nodules can often move around slightly when pressure is applied on them (Shimokawa et al., 2020). Furthermore, it has been found that malignant tumors usually stay fixed to surrounding structures and do not move with pressure (Smith & Boseley, 2018). Therefore, if the nurse finds that the lump in her patient’s neck is mobile and soft upon palpation then this would suggest that it may not be a cancerous thyroid nodule.
Apart from checking for mobility and firmness during assessment of the lump in her patient’s neck below their Adam’s apple, The nurse should also look out for other signs such as changes in skin color or texture around it. Malignant tumors can sometimes cause discoloration of the skin due to infiltration by tumor cells (Kanaya et al., 2019). Additionally they should ask about any pain or discomfort associated with it as symptoms like these could indicate something more serious than just a benign growth (Hershman et al., 2017).
Overall, It is important for nurses to know how to assess lumps correctly so that they can differentiate between benign and malignant growths efficiently. Being able to recognize key features such as whether a lump moves when touched or stays fixed within tissues helps medical professionals provide better care for their patients who may be at risk of developing cancer.
