Mom going in for chest CT today
I am sadly back here again after a few years away.
My mom previously was diagnosed with breast cancer. They did radiation treatment, and then it was discovered to have spread to a nearby lymph node; she underwent surgery to remove it. Several months later, she was declared cancer-free.
Over the last few years, she has had a persistent cough. We have worried about it and urged her to see someone. However, she has been told by multiple providers that it is simply a dry cough from the medication she is on.
She has been diligent on going to doctor's visits, and taking her medications. She is monitored periodically and has always returned with an all-clear. She recently had a mammogram a few weeks ago, and it came back all-clear as well.
Last week, she went to have an abdominal CT scan done, due to some liver numbers the doctor was concerned about. Everything looked good in the abdominal cavity, but they did notice a nodule on the lower lobe of one of the lungs.
They ordered her to come in to have a chest scan done. Their urgency on the matter is worrisome to me. Granted, yes, I would rather catch something early. But, I know that radiologists see these things all the time, and if they thing there is something to look into….it just worries me.
Now, upon doing my reading, which is what I do when placed in a panic…..a nodule of her size is typically nothing to be worried about. There is 1% chance of it being cancer. However…when it is in a patient with previous breast cancer diagnosis, those numbers skyrocket, and it is usually assumed to be metastases. And the size is much more concerning at that stage.
I don't know what to say….I think I just needed to vent. And worry out loud. I am praying that they don't find more when doing the chest x-ray. And obviously, I am also praying that the nodule is benign.
Any good vibes you can send my way is much appreciated. Bless you all!
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We all I'm sure certainly hope everything is okay. May the process move quickly so that you have the answers asap.
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@melynn44 we are sending you all the good vibes we can, and hope that everything is okay as well!
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I've had lung nodules for about 4 years, which showed up after my surgeries in 2018. My oncologist says they're really common, usually the result of breathing pollution for several years, and don't mean anything unless they grow, and mine haven't. I just get monitored with annual scans to make sure theyre stable. Wishing your mother the same result!
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Thank you everyone for your encouragement!
Well no news. I know typically no news is good news, but…for me, no news is no news.
But, I can't tell you how comforting it has been to be on this forum, just reading the other situations.
I will keep you updated.
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Sending you and your Mom good vibes. I hope you get good news soon. Take care
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Update:
I am sadly less optimistic with the latest update within the last couple of days. After her CT scan on Monday, we didn't hear anything from the doctor until yesterday. However, her test results did show up on the MyChart portal.
The good news is there weren't any other lesions or nodules or anything found. So, that's the good news, like I said.
Unfortunately, I misread the original test results. On the abdominal scan, the spot was listed as 2.6 cm. I thought, or just assumed, it said mm. Which I know 2 mm is still not great but….it's pretty low percentage of it being something to be concerned about.
However, on the CT scan, it is listed as 2.9 x 2.0 cm. I'm not sure if it goes by the bigger number or if you multiple the numbers or what. I was still reading it as mm though. And, I noticed that neither test result was saying "lung nodule." It was saying "suspicious mass." And that is much scarier verbiage than nodule, you know?
It also said the recommendation was to do a biopsy. And, everything I had read said that with nodules that small, they usually don't jump straight to biopsy. They will do sort of a monitoring approach to see if it grows any bigger. I couldn't understand it.
I read and I read and I read, and then it finally hit me. Cm. Not mm. Cm…not mm. And, I felt my world just shatter around me. I felt like I was going to throw up. Cry and throw up at the same time.
I did have to get to work, so luckily, I got it together enough to get through my work day….but here I am…..sharing where things are.
I've read the statistics. Lung masses the size of my mom's are nearly always cancerous. And, with her history of cancer…it's almost a certainty.
Her biopsy is scheduled for next Friday. Which, I find myself a little perturbed. It took a couple of days to have the scan read, and then another week and a half for a biopsy…..on something where…time is of the absolute essence?
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Hi
So sorry to hear of your mums situation. My thoughts are with you and your mum.
I am in a similar position with anxiety over waiting for cT / ultrasound results. .
Have been all good last 5 years but recent blood count showed liver out. ALP 230 and LDH also raised above 200. No elevation to Cancer Markers however had pain in right shoulder for 2 mths. Wondering if anyone has had high results like this but been ok ?
Very anxiuos!
Hope your Mums biopsy is positive.
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