Surgery Surprise

By uclahealth • November 30, 2017

“My body has a long-term history of growing fatty lumps that are not cancer,” says Lucinda Walker, who had been monitoring a growing thyroid nodule for seven years with UCLA before seeking out Dr. Masha Livhits to discuss surgery. “She had me get a CT scan, and the left side was growing and drooping behind my collarbone. She said if it got much bigger she would have to take it out through my chest instead of the crease in my neck. I decided to remove the whole thyroid. After the surgery, Dr. Livhits said the right side was starting to show, like it was going to start heading down. And they found another fatty tumor during surgery; it was the size of a large tangerine! I joke that she was pulling out license plates and old shoes out of my throat. I feel very fortunate to have great care. I love all of UCLA.”