Solitary Lung Nodule

Hi friends have a question . Did anyone have an experience of having one Solitary lung nodule 5 years after cancer. I am still waiting for a biopsy.

Comments

  • lacombattante
    lacombattante Member Posts: 171

    hi @flo80 ,

    How was it detected? I have had a lung nodule showing on PET scans for quite some time, my medical team is watching it, but so far they are not concerned.
    Not every nodule is cancer and I keep my fingers crossed for benign findings for you.

  • maggiehopley
    maggiehopley Member Posts: 138

    I have a single 8 mm lung nodule that has remained unchanged for 2 years. They have not biopsied it yet as it is stable and presumed benign. My understanding is that these are very common.

  • maggie15
    maggie15 Member Posts: 1,346

    I have multiple lung nodules which are being monitored. Pulmonologists use criteria called Fleischner guidelines which specify size, appearance and growth rate to determine monitoring protocols and when a biopsy is appropriate. A lung biopsy can be difficult depending on the location and cause side effects so is ususally not done unless the nodule is large or is growing rapidly. Most nodules are caused by infection or inflammation. Hopefully yours is benign.

  • tougholdcrow
    tougholdcrow Member Posts: 173

    I have a lung nodule around 9mm. It's been the same size since my first scans over a year ago. I asked my onc whether it was cancer, and she shrugged and said, "Lots of people have lung nodules." I read that with lung nodules over a certain size, they monitor for five years now. Mine was in a position difficult to biopsy, so I have to accept the uncertainty. But it sounds like you'll have clarity soon.

  • flo80
    flo80 Member Posts: 223

    I had an X-ray and it showed a nodule of 2 cm and the ct scan showed it as inderminate between lung cancer and Mets. Pet scan the module showed hyper metabolic and size 1. 7 cm. Now they want to do biopsy to see if it’s lung cancer or Mets.

  • maggie15
    maggie15 Member Posts: 1,346

    A nodule that size should be biopsied so that it can be treated correctly if not benign. I hope the biopsy goes well and treatment, if needed, is tolerable. All the best.

  • flo80
    flo80 Member Posts: 223

    Thank you Maggie , waiting for a biopsy date . I hope they just remove it surgically and it’s out

  • flo80
    flo80 Member Posts: 223

    Hi friends so had the biopsy yesterday and now waiting for the results. I have prepared myself for the worst. The oncologist is waiting for the biopsy but told me it’s either going to be surgery or radiation. She said that there are very less studies available for solitary nodules from breast cancer if there are other treatments available after surgery. According to her if surgery takes the cancer out and there is no disease left then I will continue on my hormonal treatment. But I guess it will determine on the type of cancer and also if it’s breast cancer then is it’s hormone positive or any changes. My brother is an oncologist at Dana Farber and I have asked him to ask for second opinion is there re any medicines in a case like mine.

  • maggie15
    maggie15 Member Posts: 1,346

    Hi flo80, I'm glad you had the biopsy. Even if the news is not what you want to hear knowing what you are dealing with will give you the best treatment plan. Breast cancer mets and lung cancer are treated differently but both are well studied and have many new treatments. There are members who post on this site in all three groups (benign/indeterminate nodules, lung mets, lung cancer with a bc diagnosis) so you will have support whatever the situation turns out to be.

    Resecting a portion of the lung is a fairly common procedure since we have more lung tissue than we need to breathe. It's fortunate you have your brother and his expert contacts looking out for you. Good luck going forward.

  • flo80
    flo80 Member Posts: 223

    Thank you so much Maggie. I trust my oncologist but when she said there is not much study available for the benefit of doing extra immune therapy when there is only one module which is taken out from surgery. So thought asking my brother to see what can be done.