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First Doc Visit results. .


Suebee

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Hi,

I took all of your advice and brought a friend, pens and pads, and tape recorder with me. I transcribed the tape and put together some of it to post below.

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". . . . The important thing is the head scan and the abdomen are clear. The question is how to interpret the lung scan. You have one lesion in the left lung which we put the needle into for the needle biopsy and that confirmed that it is an Adenocarcinoma. – One of the Large Cell type carcinoma. The bigger concern is that you have another one in the other lung and it is multi focal. The kind of tumor which is multi focal, in the lung, is a Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, usually. It’s a type of Adenocarcinoma and it can come up in multiple places. . . . .

The other thing is the Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma; has different appearances in the lung – sometimes it starts as a very light fluffy thing and you have a few of these fluffys on both sides - and then they become more solid. And then they are more of a concern.

. . . we really need to know the pace of things. . . . We will do another scan in three months . . . Next step – meet with the medical oncologist. . . . [they work together]

It’s unlikely that they’ll give you Chemotherapy because you’re totally well, don’t have any symptoms – and we don’t know the pace of the way these things are moving - so it’s better just to leave it alone - until we know whether it IS changing or not and what’s going on.

Some people – these things in the x-ray are like weeds in the grass and they just live their life out – and they have the weeds in the grass, but their lawn doesn’t look so good - but it’s there and they’re fine. Other people it progresses and they end up dying – and you don’t know which way it’s going to go.

. . . they are very early lesions - the only problem is they’re multiple - and at this stage usually its interpreted as multiple primaries verses secondarys.

That’s a good thing. . ."

Best wishes and Bye for now...

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Hi Suebee: I'm not sure what to make of your diagnosis - if there even was a diagnosis there. I believe this calls for a second opinion because something just doesn't ring right. If some weeds can stay stable and some can grow I'd be wanting the weed killer pronto just to be sure. Good Luck........wendyr

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Good job with the notes.

So they know for sure you have a well-defined 1.4 cm adenocarcinoma lesion in your left lung and they have identified the abnormality in your right lung as possibly bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC). They want to wait and see about the BAC I think. One thing I have read about BAC is that it can be slow growing. I guess I would not mind waiting to see about the BAC, but I would want to get something going on the l.4 cm mass if it is not BAC.

If they are 2 different primaries, why not start treating the left one right away? If it is a primary, and there are no mets or lymph node involvement, I would seek getting it killed with some form of targeted focused radiation while I wait to see what is up with the BAC features in the right lung.

Apparently IGRT, a good form of targeted radiation is available in Canada.

Here is a page from one of the IGRT manufacturers addressing Canadian customers.

http://www.elekta.com/healthcare_intern ... 069886.php

Here is some more on Princess Margaret Hospital. It looks like they have a large radiation therapy program and staff. If your next step is to see an oncologist, I would go to Princess Margaret and ask about IGRT to treat the left lung.

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:FWg ... cd=3&gl=us

Here is a page at the Electa site that talks about IGRT.

http://www.elekta.com/healthcare_intern ... herapy.php

“You have a few of these fluffys on both sides”… I guess “both sides” means both lungs, but I am not sure. If the BAC features were in both lungs, maybe a systemic treatment would be best and you should wait and see before doing chemo as they say.

Maybe they think the 1.4 cm lesion might be a resolved form of BAC and that is why they want to wait and see what it does. If you are already going to Princess Margaret, it looks like you are in good hands.

I wonder what Dr. West would say about this.

Don M

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You say that the Dr. knows for sure you have Adenocarcinoma? but he doesnt want to do anything because you "may" have something else like BAC on the other side? Why not find out for sure what you have on the other side? To me you are 64 years young! Treat this tumor while it is small. Find out what the other is for sure. Please keep us posted.

Donna G

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And here is my experience:

I had two nodules, one in each lung. the one in the lft was 1 cm, the right lung nodule was smaller. Needle biopsy was done on the larger nodule, inconclusive. Saw an oncologist (because of breast ca history) and a pulminologist, then sent to a surgeon. He took it out a short week later, and it was BAC.

Nodule on the right lung has had very little change in the last 6 years.

I highly recommend another opinion.

gail

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Suebee,

I have Adenocarcinoma and they did not wait. The idea that they would not give you chemo because you are healthy does not make any since to me. I was healthy with no symptoms of cancer and they started the chemo. At the end of three months my tumors were in remission. I think I would want a second opinion.

Stay positive, :)

Ernie

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