Four Days from Diagnosis to Surgery: A Hong Kong Resident Finds Timely Thyroid Care at Heyou Hospital

For many people, the healthiest days of the year are those leading up to an annual health checkup. Yet receiving the results can bring unexpected anxiety. For Qin Na (pseudonym), a 61-year-old Hong Kong resident who retired to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), that moment came with the discovery of a thyroid nodule. Fortunately, access to high-quality healthcare in the GBA helped her overcome one of the first major health challenges of her retirement.

Three Biopsies, Months of Uncertainty

Living With the Anxiety of an Unanswered Diagnosis

Qin returned to her hometown of Shunde in April 2024 after retiring from Hong Kong. During a routine health checkup at a local hospital, doctors discovered a thyroid nodule on the right side of her neck. A subsequent fine-needle biopsy suggested that the nodule could be malignant.

The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of the neck, is the body's largest endocrine gland. Although it weighs only 15 to 30 grams in adults, it plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, growth, and development through the hormones it produces.

The diagnosis came as a shock for Qin, who had only recently retired. Over the following months, she traveled repeatedly between Hong Kong and Shunde seeking further evaluation.

Between late September and early October 2024, she underwent two additional fine-needle aspiration biopsies at a hospital in Hong Kong's Tai Po District. The tests still failed to provide a definitive diagnosis, and doctors recommended thyroid surgery.

"I kept asking myself: Is surgery the only option? Will it leave a scar? Is there a minimally invasive treatment that doesn't leave a visible scar?" Qin recalled. An avid dancer who values both her health and appearance, Qin hoped for a minimally invasive procedure with the best possible cosmetic outcome. However, she was told she would likely need to wait six to nine months for surgery in Hong Kong, leaving her increasingly anxious.

Seeking a faster solution, Qin returned to Shunde on November 24, 2024, after a friend's recommendation and visited Dr. Wang Xiaohua, Chief Physician of the Department of General Surgery at Heyou Hospital.

Diagnosis in One Day

Surgery within Four Days

After reviewing Qin's medical history and previous examination results, Dr. Wang immediately performed another fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The pathology report, available the following day, confirmed that the thyroid nodule was malignant.

"Our goal is to provide high-quality, convenient, and timely fine-needle aspiration for thyroid nodules, with pathology results available within one day," Dr. Wang said. "Achieving that level of diagnostic accuracy requires an experienced multidisciplinary team and a high level of clinical expertise."

Based on the diagnosis, Dr. Wang developed a personalized treatment plan for Qin, finally giving her peace of mind after months of uncertainty. Qin was admitted to the hospital on November 26, underwent surgery the following day, and was discharged three days later. From her first consultation to surgery, the entire treatment process took just four days.

"I couldn't get a definitive diagnosis in Hong Kong, and the wait for surgery was very long," Qin said during a postoperative follow-up visit to Heyou Hospital. "Here, everything moved quickly. I received a diagnosis, underwent surgery, and Dr. Wang and the nursing team took wonderful care of me."

She added that she had even shared her experience with Hong Kong health authorities, suggesting that healthcare professionals from Tai Po visit Heyou Hospital in Shunde. "I hope my story will help more Hong Kong residents who choose to retire in GBA cities discover another healthcare option," she said.

Over the past three decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer in China has nearly tripled. As ultrasound imaging and thyroid screening have become more widely available, detection rates have continued to increase, with even nodules measuring just two to three millimeters now routinely identified. More than 70% of thyroid nodules can be detected through modern screening methods.

Although thyroid cancer incidence has risen worldwide, mortality has remained on a steady decline. "Thyroid cancer is often considered one of the most treatable forms of cancer," Dr. Wang said. "When detected early, patients have multiple treatment options that can prevent disease progression, and surgical outcomes are excellent in the vast majority of cases."

Written by: Ouyang Shaowei, Nanfang+

Contributed by: Liu Danping