niececola Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Hi, A friend at work recently underwent tests, a sonogram actually, and some spots were located in her lung. Not sure how a sonogram saw the spots in her lung, but in any event, she was referred on for a CT scan. Her pum. doctor reviewed the results of the CT scan and there a few spots in her lungs, but he wants her to wait for three months and rescan. This information is actually coming secondhand to me, but I think the general points of the story are accurate. I think I know that there can be spots in the lungs from previous illnesses and I do understand it is hard to biospy the lung, but does waiting three months sound like a good idea? Any thoughts on this would be very much appreciated, unfortuantely I do not have any experience with early stage LC. Thanks! Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I would get a 2nd opinion at a good cancer center, if possible go to a NCI designated center. From my little understanding, lung cancer usually doesnt present itself as multiple spots. It *usually* shows up as a single pulmonary nodule. Depending if the nodule is calcified or not, etc there is a x% chance of cancer. Multiple nodules ****sometimes**** means it could be lung metastasis. I personally wouldnt want to wait and maybe push for a PET scan or other test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAnn Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 It also depends on how big the "spots" are. The reason they want to wait 3 months and scan again is to see if they have grown or not. When I was going to the dr. to see why I felt so bad, they took a chest x-ray as part of the normal annual physical. A very small nodule showed up in the lower right lobe. They did an x-ray every month for 3 months and the nodule did not change. My dr. said, "you're young, and healthy. You'll be just fine!" However, I still felt chest pain, pain when coughing and had a cough that would not go away. I continued to make appointments with that dr. until she finally said, "there is nothing more I can do for you, I'll refer you to a pulmonoligist." The first thing he noticed on the x-ray was not the small nodule, but something that looked like a pneumothorax (sp) at the top of my lung, so he had me immediately go for a ct scan. That is where the 2.9cm tumor finally showed up in the upper lobe of my right lung. It never showed up on the x-rays. My point is that the nodule is what alerted them, but it is a non-factor. It hasn't changed or grown. Sorry to be blabbering, I hope this makes sense. TAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Tann made a good point. It depends how big the nodule is. She also is an example of how x-rays arent very good at detecting nodules number 3 cm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Denise, I would tell that person to get a second opinion from a top place. I had something similar 2 or 3 years ago. I had a CT for gallstones and it showed an infiltrate in right lung. I was told to follow up every 3 mon ths to make sure it was not growing. I was like uh no, get me to a pulmonologist NOW! I was not waiting for it to grow. So I went, I hada follow up chest ct and infiltrate was gone. Somehow it moved to the other lung, so I had to follow up again and it disappeared. The pulmonologist was 99.999% sure all along the infiltrate was nothing, and especially when it disappeared and was in teh other one, and even if it did not disappear, he was doing nothing but have me come back in 3 months. Sometimes breathing can even show up on scans as little spots I was told Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nushka Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 I would not wait 3 months. That was what the radiologist suggested I do but my primary doc disagreed. I went with the primary doc's opinion and got a CT. It showed up there as a 1 1/2 cm X2cm lesion. It was my cancer. I had it biopsied and surgery within 3 weeks of dx. I am very glad I acted so quickly. Get a second opinion please. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyn Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 My vote is SECOND OPINION... Why chance it??? Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phyllis Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 My oncologist did the same thing, but it was only two months. The man is supposed to be an expert on lung cancer and his version is that two months early on will not make that much difference. But I have the non-small lung cancer which is slow growing. Mine were too small and difficult to get to with a biopsy. I hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phyllis Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Oops! I did get a PET scan that showed cancer and my was mets from throat cancer which is why I had spots on my lungs I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted May 21, 2004 Share Posted May 21, 2004 Strongly suggest a second opinion and further testing ASAP. If it is cancer, the sooner it is caught, the better chance of it not spreading to lymph nodes, etc. Best of luck to your friend.[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie2003 Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 When my lung nodule was found by accident by CT Scan, they did a PET scan right away. When it didn't light up, they waited one month and did another CT Scan. The nodule disappeared. There is another one that stayed the same. So they will monitor that 3, 6, 12 month intervals. I agree like the others than 3 months seems too long to wait. Obviously it's not good to rush into a biopsy if there's a chance that it's not necessary, but I don't understand why they can't at least do some other tests. I was lucky that I was already under the care of an oncologist for a blood issue. He was the one who took control and did the PET and follow-up CT scans. My pulmonogist was useless. He still uses only X-rays for diagnosis and we all know things often don't show up on x-rays until late stages. Good luck to your friend... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haylee_38 Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 My husband also had a lung nodule . The surgeon felt it was infection related with the huge neck mass / cyst. He was put on antibiotics and had another cat scan and the nodule was gone. I always think a 2nd opinion is a good idea. Hope all turns out well for your friend. Haylee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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