Woman Diagnosed with Cancer after Doctor Sees Her on TV

A woman was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after a doctor noticed a lump on her throat while watching TV. New York-based doctor and surgeon Erich Voigt [voyt] was watching the TV program Beachfront Bargain Hunt when he saw the lump on the show’s 32-year-old guest, Nicole McGuinness [muh k-GIN-is]. Not willing to let his observation pass, he created a social media post to talk about McGuinness’ thyroid mass—an indication of thyroid cancer. He stated that she needed to undergo some tests and that he hoped that the tumor was benign. According to Voigt, only seasoned doctors like himself would know that the lump should not be taken lightly. Voigt’s message eventually reached McGuinness, who consulted a doctor. Her doctor’s diagnosis confirmed Voigt’s suspicion of a thyroid cancer. After being diagnosed, McGuinness met Dr. Voigt on a morning talk show. Dr. Voigt explained that he felt the need to intervene after noticing McGuinness’ lump. He also gave tips on detecting thyroid tumors. McGuinness then thanked the doctor for his gesture. She mentioned that if he had not been keeping an eye out, it might have taken a while to get herself checked. McGuinness is not the first person to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer after being seen on a TV program. In 2013, a nurse watching the show Flip or Flop noticed a lump on the neck of the host, Tarek El Moussa [tuh-REK el mooz-uh]. The nurse wrote an e-mail to the show’s production company and alerted El Moussa to have the lump assessed. Upon confirmation that the lump was a sign of cancer, the host underwent surgery and treatment.