Multifocal Adenocarcinoma of the lung, continual recurrences

Posted by Merry, Alumni Mentor @merpreb, Dec 11, 2018

We have multifocal adenocarcinoma of the lung. @linda10 and @sakota.- Please join me in this discussion.

For a short explanation of this tongue twister. Briefly, Multifocal Adenocarcinoma (MAC) of the lung is a clinical entity of multiple synchronous (less than 6 months) or metachronous (more than 6 months), often ground-glass opacities (GGO) on CT scan, typically indolent-behaving cancers. There is a scarce amt of clinical data to guide treatment decisions.
This came from http://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2017.35.15_suppl.e20041.

This means that more than one potential cancerous lesion, mostly ground glass, shows up at a time. For instance I had 3 cancerous lesions 10 years ago in my left lung and in the same area. They were all different sizes. They grow at different rates.

Multifocal adenocarcinoma is a very complex cancer because the medical profession doesn't know if the ground glass lesions are the primary cancer or small metastases of another primary cancer. They don't even know where they start..

Multifocal Adenocarcinoma has sub types and it's management is based on whether it's indolent or very virulent.

These are very simplistic explanations. Even doctors are confused by it and it's only been within the last twenty years that they have separated it from a Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma (BAC).

The constant recurrences are the buggers. Not only do we have to constantly face lots of CT scans but when lung cells change, which they often do, we are in terror of another virulent cancer. I presently have several ground glass lesions. And I have had many that have disappeared. It's enough to drive you nuts and PTSD is exacerbated by the frequency of these devils.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Lung Cancer Support Group.

@ladylennie

I had several nodules in both lungs found by accident in late 2019. They were followed first every 3 months, then 6 and then annually since all were stable and thought to be inflammatory. Then in November 2023, several had grown, particularly in left upper lobe. I had a ct-pet in December showing 1 was 3.1 and one 4.1. Bronchoscopy biopsy of one showed adenocarcinoma. That was 12/20. On 2/9 I had lul lobectomy and left lower lobe wedge. Both in lul adenocarcinoma. All was possibly aah.

I have finished chemo (yesterday). My scans will be 7/8. Hoping right lobe nodules shrunk or are stable. I'm of 2 minds about the scans. I'm eager to have them but really frightened about what they might show. In any case, that's when they'll decide about keytruda for one year or make a new plan which will probably include sbrt.

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@ladylennie, Congrats on finishing chemo! Fingers crossed that it’s doing its job. Scans are stressful, it sounds like you are in good hands and having a next-step game plan really helps to lessen some of the anxiety for me. Keep us updated.

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@lls8000

@ladylennie, Congrats on finishing chemo! Fingers crossed that it’s doing its job. Scans are stressful, it sounds like you are in good hands and having a next-step game plan really helps to lessen some of the anxiety for me. Keep us updated.

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Thank you.

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