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False positives?


mdsum1

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Hi,

I have had 3 CT scans in the last 1-1/2 years. They have been watching 2 spots in my lungs. 1 remains stable and the other has increased in size & density in the last 2 scans. The second report did mention that the coarse density is suggestive of scarring. The last repost suggested a biopsy due to suspicion of neoplasm. I was to a cardio/thoracic surgeon who recommended the VATS biopsy. This seemed a little invasive to me so I asked about other ways to obtain a biopsy or PET scan. He said a needle biopsy was usually inconclusive (I've heard this b4) and that a PET scan would not rule out cancer as he has seen that happen before. I'm scheduled for surgery on 1/2 but I'm not really sure I should do this. He said the chances of cancer are 50/50. So now I read the post from Stacy and am thinking about false positives again and whether I really need to go through this. What do you think?

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Not sure where you are in Michigan but maybe you should check in to a second opinion. U of M has a lung cancer clinic and you may want to go to the head guy there (Dr. Kalemkarian-- not sure I spelled that right) before you go through surgery to ease your mind.

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A second opinion is a good idea if you have doubts. My personal experience is I wish that someone had been willing to do the VATs procedure for me. They insisted on FNAB to prove cancer and I have had more FNABs turn out falsely NEGATIVE than positive. The VATS will remove the tumor with some healthy margin around it, so the tumor is not disturbed as it would be in FNAB. I am right now dealing with possible mets to the pleura from a FNAB that went very bad and caused extensive bleeding into my chest and lung. But ultimately this is your decision.

I can honestly say that for me the surgeries are the least trouble. Radiation treatments are next in order of ease. And Chemo is the worst of it.

Wishing you a very good outcome no matter what you decide.

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I would get a 2nd opinion also if you are worried. But from what I have read and as Fay mentioned you are less likely to get a false negative with VATS then a FN biopsy.

Personally I would be more worried about a false negative than a false positive for a small nodule

because the best thing it to catch it early

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I always had a PET scan before surgery. My last PET scan showed 2 false positives and one correct positive. I always wondered why bother with the PET scan if there will eventually be a biopsy anyway.

If there was signifcant change in size and density, and the object was over 1 cm, I would definitely do the biopsy.

Don M

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks to everyone who replied. I went ahead and did the VATS procedure partially because family were really pushing me to get it done. Anyway preliminary biopsy while I was still out said that it isn't cancer! I know that it was about 2.2cmx1.3cm earlier in December but I'm not sure how much it has grown since they discovered it 1.5 years ago. The Dr. has not told me what he thought it might turh out to be but I'm sure anything should be a better diagnosis and I should know for sure on my return visit in about 2 weeks.

Thanks Andrea...your assurance that your Mother said it wasn't that terrible helped me decide to just get it done with.

Thanks to Ry and Lisa too. I have met Dr. Kalemakrian (he is my sister in laws Dr at UofM) and I thought he was just great. I didn't try to make an appointment with him because he is an oncologist and I am just trying to determine what I have. If I did have lung cancer you can bet he would be the first person I would think of.

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