Waiting impatiently for a biopsy...3.6 cm x 2.5 cm on upper right lobe

[bo10us]

I am a 75 yo male....six weeks ago I had what was diagnosed as covid 19 pneumonia....it only lasted one week with a bad cough, fatigue and no appetite.  Nonetheless my Dr prescribed a chest x-ray.   They saw this mass so went with a lung scan.  Then in 6weeks a follow up.. then a PET scan.  There is something there that "morphologically and persistently was concerning of a malignancy"   Now waiting for the consult and biopsy....trying to be brave and patient.

[Judy M2]

Your doctor was so smart ordering that chest Xray, especially after you had contracted Covid Pneumonia. The waiting can be unbearable at this point, and we all understand that! Will you be getting a bronchoscopy? That's how my biopsy was done. If so, be sure to ask for biomarker testing of the biopsied tissue so they can determine if you have any genetic mutation that will respond to a pill (targeted therapy). Try to hang in there and let us know your next steps. 

I love your area of Delaware, and my husband and I considered moving there for retirement, but San Diego won out for us in the end. 

[LouT]

Welcome to our forum.  So you've had the x-ray and a scan.  I'm not clear if you had the PET Scan yet or if it is coming up in six weeks (I'm thinking you had it).  Please clear me up on that.  The real test to look at here will be the biopsy as that will be the real determining data to tell you whether it is cancer or not and then what type of cancer it is.  With that data in hand the doctor can definitely state what the growth is and likely be able to stage it.  And yes... as Judy said, please request biomarker testing as that may provide valuable information that could have an impact on the form of therapy you receive.  I hesitate to share to much lung cancer data with you right now since we're still not sure (confirmed) that you have lung cancer.  But, please do let me know if the PET was done or not and any outcome from the that test as well as when you have a biopsy.  Then you really need to talk to your doctor and review all the results with another person in the room.  I say this because the first time I heard that what I had was likely cancer (later confirmed during surgery) the rest of my mind went blank.  I heard words and after leaving the office I realized I really didn't catch any of what the surgeon told me so I had to call and set another meeting.  Having another person there with a notebook can help.  Once you have a confirmation (either cancer or not) there is a lot available for you here.  A super group of lung cancer survivors with a large variety of diagnosis and treatments, so whatever happens to you someone here already went through it.

Try and stay calm until the biopsy and feel free to vent, ask questions or just share with us here on the forum.  You won't be alone in this.

Lou

 

[bo10us]

15 hours ago, Judy M2 said:

Your doctor was so smart ordering that chest Xray, especially after you had contracted Covid Pneumonia. The waiting can be unbearable at this point, and we all understand that! Will you be getting a bronchoscopy? That's how my biopsy was done. If so, be sure to ask for biomarker testing of the biopsied tissue so they can determine if you have any genetic mutation that will respond to a pill (targeted therapy). Try to hang in there and let us know your next steps. 

I love your area of Delaware, and my husband and I considered moving there for retirement, but San Diego won out for us in the end. 

Thanks Judy,   How are you doing currently and how close was your situation to mine?

[bo10us]

I am new here but yes I sw your posts/history

[Judy M2]

@bo10us, my situation was not like yours, which isn't unusual. Many times lung cancer is found incidentally to other symptoms or conditions. Anyway, it sounds like you've seen my older posts about my saga.

October was my 2-year cancerversary and I am NED (No Evidence of Disease) today. It certainly wasn't easy but everything I went through has been worth a return to good health. 

Everyone has a different journey. Try to be patient while you wait for all your testing to determine if you do, in fact, have cancer. Waiting is one of the biggest challenges we face with this disease. I hope your testing shows you don't have cancer!

[bo10us]

Thank you very much for  that...yes I am trying to remain patient

[bo10us]

So biopsy indicated adenocarcinoma non small cell tumor type.....pet scan lit up 6 lymph nodes.   Surgery was completed removing mass...then found a second small nodule that was removed  and upper right lobe closed to play it safe   about ten lymph nodes removed and all tested negative for metastasis.   I was very pleased  The Surgeon said he wanted a cure not a treatment.  But now the Oncologist wants me on chemo anyway...and not oral pill form but iv type.   I am not sure as to that approach but his comment was  a few cells in the blood stream and in two years it may be in my brain.   He sure knows how to spoil a party!

[Tom Galli]

bo10,

Yes your oncologist knows how to spoil a successful post surgery party but be mindful the reason lung cancer is so dangerous is it recurs frequently after "successful" treatment.  From your description, I think you may stage at IIIA or IIIB. Here is some insight about recurrence probability organized by stage. You'll note a 66% chance of recurrence for successfully treated stage III disease in the National Cancer Institute paper.

Here is some insight into words used by physicians (and our community) to characterize treatment outcomes. If the surgeon got clean margins on everything removed and if he got it all, then at this juncture you would be termed no evidence of disease or NED. A NED result is what we hope for. Five years of NED moves you towards a cure, but I needed to wait 18 years before my medical oncologist pronounced me cured; 5 recurrences in my case substantially delayed my pronouncement.

Still a NED treatment is worth a big deal party! So enjoy your outcome, take your chemo, and go on a ferry cruise to Cape May for a winter interlude in a town filled Victorian seaside accommodations! NED is most worthy of celebration.

Stay the course.

Tom

 

[Judy M2]

@bo10us, congratulations on a successful surgery! Has the tissue sent for biomarker testing? Are you still waiting for those results?