Lung cancer - 80% chance? Surgery?
After a few weeks reading everyone’s posts it’s time for me to introduce myself, my dad gets reoccurring chest infections, and the doctor said to do a CT scan after a long 4 week wait they said they found a small nodule upper left lung could be scarring, inflammation or cancer. They gave him a pet scan quickly and today said that it lit up, it’s 80% chance of cancer. It’s 13mm, and said they can operate to just remove it. Nothing else lit up on the scan. Dads meeting with the specialist tomorrow to go through it all better and options available. I’m feeling quite positive after weeks of worrying? Anyone had similar story? Good questions to ask the consultant tomorrow? I’m in the mind set that if it is cancerous it’s small and wasn’t seen elsewhere on PET, so if surgery can remove it then surely everything will be ok? What’s your success stories with surgery? Thanks.
First, it is great that it seems to have been caught early and your Dad is a candidate for surgery. Depending on the pathology, stage and possible other factors found after the surgery, at times the surgery is followed up with a treatment (depending on what the pathology shows) as a preventive measure. Also, your Dad should discuss biomarker testing of the tumor with his doctor, the information can be very important. I'm attaching a link below to an article that I hope helps explain the importance of biomarker/mutation testing. Wishing your Dad all the best, please know we are here for you both, reach out any time.
https://lungcancer.net/living/biomarker-testing
Sounds like my story, however my nodule is 12mm on the right upper lobe. SUV was 2.7 but they found a lymph node on the left 6.5 SUV. I see surgeon next week. Biopsy was not successful. Please keep us posted on your dad.
please keep us posted as well on your appointment. Jill (Team Member)
Update: Found out the area that showed up as 6.5 on the PET scan was actually my left thyroid. I had biopsy of both lung and thyroid. Lung stage 1 adenocarcinoma. Scheduled for SBRT 4 treatments on the 16 is 1st treatment then every other day. Not a candidate for surgery. My frustration was pet scan said left subclabian lymph node showed on pet when I went to IR the surgeon said no it's left cervical. She did biopsy and could not get enough sample after 3 fine needle sticks. Oncology surgeon requested repeat Cat scan and they concluded that the area was neither subclavian nor cervical but the thyroid. The thyroid biopsy showed AUS III. Now after radiation treatments I have to see a thyroid surgeon. I am being seen by a good cancer center, not the best in my surrounding area but it has a good reputation and is affiliated with my primary care team that I have been seeing g for years. I am very comfortable with my pulmonologist and radiation oncologist and don't want to change however I realize that I have to stay on top of my care. Ironically I am a nurse so I understand that everything is not black and white. Thanks for allowing me to vent
, thank you for checking in. I'm glad that they finally pinpointed the problem, and that you are comfortable with and confident in your care team. Does this discovery positively impact your treatment? Please do keep in touch and let us know how things are going. - Warmly, Donna (Team Member)
yes its a positive because if it was a lymph node it would mean metastisis. It is thyroid not related to my lumg cance however it is concerning and risk for cancer, Primary doctor wants a surgery endocrinologist to consult as to the next steps. Scheduled to see her on May 5th. Thank you
, well, I'm relieved that it's a positive, and I hope that it turns out to be something coincidental, and not related to a new cancer. Oh my, May 5th feels far away. I hope the time goes fast and the results are good. Have a wonderful weekend! - Warmly, Donna (Team Member)
