Guest redhead Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Hi Everyone, A year ago I became a member of this community because my hubby was told he had a 1cm x1cm nodule in his lung. To make a long story short he was told to simply watch it and it was probably from a past infection. We just moved and met with a new pulmonologist who didn't think waiting for repeat CTs for 6 months was a good idea and ordered a new CT. Yesterday we received the results and will be meeting with doc on Wednesday. What I'd like to know is what I should be asking the doc based on the following report. Calcified subcarinal subcentimeter lymph nodes. Alos nonspecific, subcentimeter, pretracheal lymph nodes. A 1.3 x 1.0 cm, spiculated soft tissue mass and some subtlely increased densities in adjacent lung. A new finding is a slightly accentuated soft tissue density posterior to the previous existing mass. This finding can represent post needle biopsy (which he didn't have), or could conceivbly represent extension of the mass posteriorly. A small parenchymal scar or additional infiltrate is seen in right upper lobe. He also has bilateral jugulodigastric lumph nodes and nonspecific subcentimeter submental lumph nodes on thyroid CT scan....which is being treated as a seperate issue because it showed up on a PET scan he had done for the lung. Can't they be related? I know his previous doc had said if the nodule grows half his lung would need to be removed. Is chemo an option first? Doesn't having so many lymph nodes involved mean it's spreading? I have no support system here so I'm really counting on al of you. Thank you so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Just wanted to say hi and hope you can get your questions answered. I'm afraid I'm not real good with reading reports, but I do recommend getting several opinions. I am personally not comfortable with the "watch and wait" theory until SEVERAL doctors have said it. I have had 3 separate, small malignant tumors in 12 years, that have been caught early because we went after them. Other people hear can give you more feedback on the details of your reports. Good luck and let us know. gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enyaw061032 Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Hello, Redhead: The best and only advice I can give, because I don't know how to interpret what reports mean, is to recommend that YOU GO TO THE SECTION ENTITLED "ASK THE EXPERTS." That section is aobut half way down, more or less--look and you should be able to find it. If you explain what the report said, they should be able to help you--they are professionals. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 I am no good at interpreting the scans and also recommend that you post it under ask the experts. I wish you patience in this scary time until you meet with the oncologist for further interpretation. I know the waiting is the worst. I will keep my fingers crossed for good results, Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Hello Redhead, Can't explain a thing from the medical report, as it was said before Ask the Experts is the best place to get answers about the results of the tests that were done. Please let us know more after you meet the doctor on Wednesday, you could ask him to explain in down to earth language what it means and take notes at the same time. Make a copy of the report and underline what you do not understand and ask from it. Good luck and keep us posted. J.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redhead Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Thank you so much for all your kind words of encouragement. I took you advice and posted on the "Ask the Experts" forum. As I mentioned before I don't know anyone here and have no one to talk to about this issue. YOu can't imagine how good it feels to read your posts and to know that there is someone who will listen. I'll let you know what the doc says on Wednesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiams Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 I concur in the recommendation to get a second opinion. You have to be your own best advocate. I have a nationally recognized expert in lung cancer for an oncologist and I still sought a second opinion from the regional cancer foundation in San Francisco. While they concurred with everything my doctors were doing, it sure made me feel better. If you log on to the Richard Block Foundation website they will help you locate a multi-disciplinary tumor board in your area. Doctors are human beings, and some are better than others. Unfortunately, cancer is a deadly disease and sitting and waiting is always risky. I would aggressively seek out a second opinion. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redhead Posted March 15, 2005 Share Posted March 15, 2005 Hi all, Hubby had follow up with doc, who ordered a PET asap. He is a 37 year old non smoker and is really baffled by all of this. Doc wants to see if anything glows and I guess if PET is negative will continue to watch. Doc was more concered about the hilar lesion and not the nodule. We were never told that was a concern before, the other two docs only talked about the spiculated nodule and that being a concern by one doc and not a concern by the other. This doc had us bring in all CTs and was going to review with a radiologist. I feel that he is covering all bases and not taking this lightly. We see him again on Friday to review findings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Dear Redhead- Please let us know the results of your Friday meeting. Sending you the very best vibes for an optiumum outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redhead Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Hello all, the visit with doctor on Friday went well. He told us that the PET showed persistant right hilar activity, although that doesn't show up on the delayed scan. There is a new area though that does show up on the delayed scan and is suspicious for neoplastic disease (what does that mean?) So the doc wants to do a bronchoscopy to check for infections. If negative, then he'll go in and biopsy the node and lymph nodes. Howis the bronchoscopy? Will my husband be able to return to work the next day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wfshaw Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Hi Redhead, Bronoscopy is a piece of cake. I went to work the next morning no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Hi Red. Neoplasm is synonomous with cancer/tumor. How did everything turn out? The bronch or did he have surgery and biopsy? Please let us know. Hope that you are doing all right through all of this.. I know that it has to be rough. cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcawork Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Hi Redhead, Post your report in "Ask the experts". I do know, they don't know anything w/o a biopsy. They have to know what kind (if its LC) to know how to treat it. Sometimes its surgery, other kinds its chemo and/or radiation. Hoping all goes well and keep us posted. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellakc2 Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Hi, Sounds like your Dr.s are agressive and persistent. I like that. Good luck and take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redhead Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Hello All, The bronchoscopy is scheduled for this Thursday and then we have to wait a few days for the results. Glad to hear that the procedure is easy to recover from. My husband hates to miss work and will be glad he only has to miss a day. My gut feeling is that this is some type of LC and not Histoplasmosis, like they told him last summer. Since the nodule grew and a new hilar lymph node is "hot", it just seems that way. I know I should be optimistic, but reading the numerous reports on the internet just reinforce this gut feeling. I will post the results from the PET on the "Experts" forum and see what the doc says. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all your support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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