8 mm lung nodule possible malignancy: What should I do?

Mine was stage 1, which in Medicare world means they won’t send it for analysis unless there is recurrence.

Hi @kdelbert, Don't be afraid to ask for help or share any issues with your team. This isn't an easy time, but it will get better. How are you tolerating the chemo?

My nodule was 1cm discovered on a CT Scan with Cardiologist. Was referred to Pulmonologist who decided it best to watch it for one year to see if there was any change (scans every 3 months). After second scan I decided to go to UCLA (CA) for a second opinion and they recommended needle biopsy, which I did and it was adenocarcinoma. Lower left lobe on the outer side of lung. Had lobectomy one month later. Good news is caught early and no chemo needed after surgery. UCLA is known to be aggressive and I am thankful for it! The hardest part is not knowing. Please get a second opinion. May I add that my husband, a long time smoker, has a 1.2cm nodule that they have been watching for two years (scans every 6 months) and it has not changed so they do NOT suspect cancer. They will continue with annual scans now. My very best to you for a positive outcome!

My nodule was around the same size and I had it biopsied. I had to insist! Glad I did because it was malignant, and the nodular on the other lung was also. My motto…. Be Aggressive!!

My nodules on both lungs were under 12mm and both malignant. My motto…..Be aggressive!!!

I would do your research & and find a very good pulmonologist. I have SCLC and the nodule is 3 cm & in the close lymph nodes. It’s also not operable because it’s resting on the pericardium. It doubled in size from the low dose preventative CT scan to the regular CT scan I was given 4 weeks later. The radiologist report recommended a pet scan & biopsy. No one called me about it, so I started calling them because I was scared. Remember, up to this point, no doctor or nurse has even talked to me about these scans. The scheduler kept saying they would call me when it could be scheduled. Up to this point I have had years of good treatment from this clinic, but after a week & a half, I called Mayo (a 2 1/2 hr. dr.). My scans were transferred the next day, and I got a call the day after from a pulmonologist in oncology with an appointment scheduled for the following day which included a PET scan. The Dr was so concerned that she called herself instead of the scheduler. By the next week I had also seen an oncologist, had an MRI, plus other tests. The oncologist wanted to start me on chemo that Friday. I asked for the weekend to think about it since all this in a week’s time was a bit more than I could handle. I’ve since completed my 1st round of chemo, & was scheduled for a double whammy of chemo plus 2 radiation/day in a week. Until, I got a another call this week from a radiology Dr. who said they noticed something on the low dose scan that I had this week for the fitting of the radiation machine. She said none of the doctors knows what it is. So off to have one more scan before my next treatments are scheduled in a week. To be continued….. BUT, in my opinion the ‘wait & see’ approach is only good if you have a very good specialist telling you that, definitely not a GP.

P.S. does any one else turn into a ‘Chatty Cathy’ (or Charlie) from chemo?

Nodule is still very small. That said, are you being treated at a large teaching hospital or one with a comprehensive cancer center? As others have said, many lung nodules are benign. My husband has several. If you haven’t already, I would ask your doctor why the radiologist said cancer cannot be ruled out. Depending on the answer, you may take a deep breath and wait 3 months, or you may want to get a second opinion. Good luck.

Chatty Cathy for real. I love to hate those steroids.

So, it’s the steroids that do that?