Ct Results

[barbvh]

First, I would like to wish you all a very Blessed & Happy Christmas!

I got the results of my 7 month post-op CT on Thursday. It showed 2 new small (6x4 & 8x5 mm) nodules one in the right middle lobe and one in the right lower lobe. Finding a nodule in the right lower lobe is confusing to me as they removed my right lower lobe on 5/16/07. They also see a 10x10mm lymph node.

I was staged 1A adenocarcinoma after my 5/16/07 surgery and no further treatment was recommended. My oncologist seems very concerned about the new growths, though he does state they may have been missed on previous scans as they are small. To say that my husband and I were surprised to hear they found anything on a scan so soon after surgery is putting it mildly. I know how blessed I am that my cancer was caught so early, but these new findings are very disconcerting to me.

He recommends waiting 10 weeks and the doing another CT and also a PET scan to see if there is any growth or changes. I understand the 10 week wait, though waiting is not something I'm particularly fond of.

Any feedback on nodules found so soon after lobectomy would be appreciated. Once cancer has been found are subsequent nodules usually malignant as well?

[Don M]

They could easily have been missed. Unfortunately, you are now a member of the wait and see club. The unfortunate part is that you know that there is something there now, and you have to wait and see if it is cancer or not. I have several nodules that size, and they never change so far. It has been 4 years that they have been hanging around.

Don M

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[barbvh]

Don,

Thanks for your response. The wait and see club stinks. This is all quite new to me, so I'm still in that learning and accepting phase.

Hopefully my nodules will remain small like yours have for a very long time.

[Maryanne]

Hi Barb,

I know how you feel. We are going through the same thing. My husbands next scan is next Friday. They are watching a new nodule.

This is the 3rd time he has been through this. In the beginning he was staged at 1B. Had his right upper lobe removed with no spread to the lymph nodes. Then one year later they found 2 nodules on his left lobe, he had a wedge section. Now there is a very small one back on his left where they did the wedge section. But it is too small to biospy.. so it is the wait game. Hate it!!

Also, just to let you know that not all nodules are cancerous. So don't put that into your mind, they just might be plain nodules which is common or maybe scar tissue.

I hope all comes out good for you. We are always here for you.

Maryanne

[recce101]

Barb:

I think it would be a good idea for your oncologist to call the radiologist who did the report and clarify the finding on the lobe that was removed. It would make me wonder what else is wrong. I had a lobe misidentified on one of my pathology reports.

Aloha,

Ned