Don M
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Posts posted by Don M
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Good luck Ellen
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Lisa and Fay: I asked my oncologist about the possibility of seeding cancer cells along the needle tack and he said it is very rare for lung cancer to do this. Also, there are 2 studys that I came across that say it is a rare event. The other risks are more frequent. Surgery itself is no small risk.
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Hi Lisa: I am sorry about your mom. I had a lung needle biopsy for my first occurrence a year ago. Just yesterday, I had 2 more needle biopsies. One in my chest wall and one in a recurrent nodule at the remaining lobe of my left lung.
Yesterday, I checked in to the hospital at 8 in the morning. It was 10 am before the procedure started. I had to fill out forms and sign stuff first and get prepped. The procedure took longer than usual for me because, I had two needle biopsies yesterday. I was back in my holding area by 1130 or so. I slept for a while , had my xray, and slept some more. They let me go at 2 pm. It took 6 hours all told. I had to have a driver. I could not do any strenuous activity for 72 hours and not drive for 48 hours afterwards. I was advised not to sign any legal documents for 48 hours after.
An interventional radiologist performed the procedure using the ct scanning device to guide the needle insertion and tissue extraction. They gave me a local shot to numb me up at the insertion site. I also had an IV and was mildly sedated. I had to be responsive enough to follow the instructions on when to breathe and when to hold my breath. The main purpose of the IV was to help me be relaxed so that I could lay still. They stressed that regular even breathing was important so the the lung would always be in the same spot when the radiologist was ready to move the needle when I was holding my breath.
The needle may be inserted from the back or the side or the front, depending on where the nodule is. I was on my back when they did it to me. The radiologist will get a good sample and send it to the pathologist. There will be a 15 minute wait with the needle still in while the pathologist determines if he has enough sample. If it is found malgnant right away, that will be the end of the procedure. If it cannot be immediately established that there is a malignancy, the pathologist will ask for another sample. The radiologist will move the needle to a slightly different area at a slightly different angle rather than making a new insertion and get a second sample. Then, it is sent to the pathologist again. I don't think they would come back for a third try. They never did with me. but I had them come back for seconds a year ago and yesterday.
There is a danger of getting a pneumothorax (collasped lung). I had one a year ago, but not yesterday. They will take an xray soon after the procedure to see if your lung is ok. If it has collasped, the usual practice is to insert a chest tube to drain the air trapped between your chest wall and the lung and keep you overnight in the hospital for observation. When I had my collasped lung, they put a chest tube in me and I went home. the next day I came back and they took it out after establishing it was back to normal with an xray.
I am feeling a little bit sore today. the soreness goes away after a couple of days.
I have read that lung needle biopsies are very reliable when there is a positive result and unreliable when there is a negative result. If they don't find any cancer, it may be written up as "inconclusive" by the pathologist. Then, the beat goes on.
It usually takes 2 days after the day of the procedure for the pathologist to do a complete report. If your mom has the procedure done on a Monday, her doctor should have the report on Thursday.
I hope the best for you and your mom.
Don M
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Hi Barb: as understand it, a shadow in an xray can be caused by an unknown tissue mass. It could be caused by a loop of bowell or a calcium density, scar tissue, or a nodule. Sometimes overlapping shadows from tissue densities can look like a spot on the xray. Much of the time it turns out to be nothing. A ct scan can establish if it is just a shadow or not.
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And you and Dave have my prayers too Karen.
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Beth: I think you might be on to something with the fungus infection idea. I have read that it typically presents with many small nodules and can spread quickly. Look into it some more.
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Hi Beth: It's gonna work. I like your mom.
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Sharon: I will pray for you.
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Hi Bruce: I don't have much to add to Kim's post except that you might try some supplements to bolster up you immune system. I have heard that astralagus and green leaf tea is good. There are probably others. Ask your oncologist.
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Oh yeah..let it work!
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I hope the scans bring good news.
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Good Luck Melanie. I hope the pain meds work.
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I hope the scans and blood work chase away your worries.
Don M
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Angie: I am praying for you and your dad. I have heard good things about alimta.
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Hi Heidi: I had my upper left lobe removed a year ago. I had part of one rib removed to make it easier for the surgeon to get his hands in the area. My tumor came close to the hilum, a sensitive area. I talked to a VATS specialist about it, and he said that I would have to have a full thoracotomy because the resection would be close to my hilum and it would be too dangerous to do it with a camara.
If your mom has to have her entire lung removed, I am sure it will be a full thoracotomy. Another benefit to a conventional thoracotomy is that the surgeon can use his fingers in the area to feel if there are any small nodules that may have been missed. They feel harder than the surrounding tissue and a camara might miss it.
My cancer apparently came back in my lower lobe. I am waiting to see if I can still have surgery, and if I can I will do it as soon as I posssibly can. I did not do adjuvant chemo last time, stage 1b, but if I get a second chance I will do the chemo.
Don M
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Beth: I am amazed that you could have that much stuff happen to you in such a short while. It is no wonder you are feeling overwhemed. I just don't understand how the stuff could grow so fast. I would go ahead and take the alimta, but I would want answers about the nature of my disease. I think it would be a good idea to have a pulmonologist look at the scans, the previous one and the current one. he might have some good insights. I had him look at mine, and he took a lot of time to go over them with me, which i liked. It gave me a good picture of where i was and where I am at now.
Don M
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Maryanne: I am glad to see that things are going better for Joel and you. Now he can put on some weight and perhaps get ready for chemo.
Don M
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I was very glad to hear your good news Pammie. Your Joy is obvous. thankyou for sharing it with us.
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Hi Jean: I hope your husband's new treatment regime works well and that he feels well.
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Yo Beth Go!!
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Melanie: I relly hope you feel better soon and can see your doc soon.
Don M
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Hi Barb:
I don't know what to make of parenchymal opacities either. I had them described in my recent ct scan. Then when I had a PET scan, it showed uptake in the corresponding area. A good bet for you though is radiation scarring.
The important thing though, is the good news that you are stable. Just hang on to that.
Don M
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Thanks A LOT for your support and prayers everybody. Hopefully I should know by the end of next week if I can have surgery.
Don M
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Hey..thanks for your congratualtions and comments everyone. I have already established an extensive photo collection of Keaton. He smiled for me yesterday.
Don M
2 weeks after radiation/chemo completed - Followup
in MEMBER UPDATES
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