Sub-solid nodule grew from 3.5 to 8 in a year: Wait for scan?

Posted by dalelieberman3 @dalelieberman3, May 5 11:45am

8mm sub solid nodule grew from 3-5 to 8 in a year. Pet scan had iffy reports. Should I wait 3 mths for another scan?
It’s in a difficult area to get to in my lung. But waiting has me anxious.
Thoughts?
Dale

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Thanks, I’m learning a lot about all this. I so appreciate the informative responses.

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@dalelieberman3

My pulmonologist is going to call me after the tumor board meets.
One of the upsetting things for me is in the pet scan report, the radiologist says one thing in the first couple sentences, & then a paragraph down, says something diffferent.
My first thought was if it’s cancer, take it out. But I know understand maybe having to wait because of the tricky area it is to get to & that sometimes has to be bigger than 8mm.
Anyway, just hearing you respond to me brought me much comfort, so thank you!
I will come back on & report what the tomor board has to say.

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@dalelieberman3 , being nervous is perfectly valid and normal. Let us know what the tumor board has to say. Hugs.

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@lls8000

@dalelieberman3 , being nervous is perfectly valid and normal. Let us know what the tumor board has to say. Hugs.

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Thank you, I will come back on here after I get the tumor board call.
Thanks for caring,

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@dalelieberman3

Thank you, I will come back on here after I get the tumor board call.
Thanks for caring,

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So my pulmonologist called me. The consensus of the tumor board is to biopsy now. Even though it’s a tricky area to get to( near aorta) because of my history better to biopsy now.
Waiting to get next appointment with interventive pulmonologist.

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@dalelieberman3

Thank you, I will come back on here after I get the tumor board call.
Thanks for caring,

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The tumor board recommends biopsy by a bronchiospy. Due to my history. The 8mm sub solid module is near my Aeorta.

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Hi Dale- I also had a bronchoscopy, and then a stress test a few weeks later, to test my heart to make sure it was strong enough for having surgery. It’s hard for me to remember because once the appointments started it felt like a whirl wind of appointments. I don’t think they were able to biopsy my nodule because of where it was but they did grab fluids and some lymph nodes to test. Those, thankfully, came back clear. We opted just to go ahead and take it out because it had all the characteristics of adenocarcinoma. They biopsied it after the surgery and it was adenocarcinoma. I have the KRAS12C gene,
My bronchoscopy was fairly quick and easy. They put me under, completed it and I woke up in recovery. Afterward my throat was a little dry for a few days and maybe a little sore for that day. Lots of lukewarm liquids and some soothing throat lozenges helped a lot. Talking a lot seemed to make me hoarse, so I did a lot of nodding or hand gestures for a couple days. Even though I was in that whirlwind and knew I was having a surgery, I felt so much relief because we knew what we were dealing with, we had a plan, and I knew it was going to be taken care of. And, because of the wonderful people on this site, I had a pretty good idea of what I could face afterward as far as pain, recovery, things to do to help recovery, etc. So, I hope you get good news, and I pray for you that everything with you will turn out good!🙏🙏🙏

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@cmcguire10

Hi Dale- I also had a bronchoscopy, and then a stress test a few weeks later, to test my heart to make sure it was strong enough for having surgery. It’s hard for me to remember because once the appointments started it felt like a whirl wind of appointments. I don’t think they were able to biopsy my nodule because of where it was but they did grab fluids and some lymph nodes to test. Those, thankfully, came back clear. We opted just to go ahead and take it out because it had all the characteristics of adenocarcinoma. They biopsied it after the surgery and it was adenocarcinoma. I have the KRAS12C gene,
My bronchoscopy was fairly quick and easy. They put me under, completed it and I woke up in recovery. Afterward my throat was a little dry for a few days and maybe a little sore for that day. Lots of lukewarm liquids and some soothing throat lozenges helped a lot. Talking a lot seemed to make me hoarse, so I did a lot of nodding or hand gestures for a couple days. Even though I was in that whirlwind and knew I was having a surgery, I felt so much relief because we knew what we were dealing with, we had a plan, and I knew it was going to be taken care of. And, because of the wonderful people on this site, I had a pretty good idea of what I could face afterward as far as pain, recovery, things to do to help recovery, etc. So, I hope you get good news, and I pray for you that everything with you will turn out good!🙏🙏🙏

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Thanks so much, this gives me hope! Blessings for good health for you.

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@cmcguire10

Hi Dale- I also had a bronchoscopy, and then a stress test a few weeks later, to test my heart to make sure it was strong enough for having surgery. It’s hard for me to remember because once the appointments started it felt like a whirl wind of appointments. I don’t think they were able to biopsy my nodule because of where it was but they did grab fluids and some lymph nodes to test. Those, thankfully, came back clear. We opted just to go ahead and take it out because it had all the characteristics of adenocarcinoma. They biopsied it after the surgery and it was adenocarcinoma. I have the KRAS12C gene,
My bronchoscopy was fairly quick and easy. They put me under, completed it and I woke up in recovery. Afterward my throat was a little dry for a few days and maybe a little sore for that day. Lots of lukewarm liquids and some soothing throat lozenges helped a lot. Talking a lot seemed to make me hoarse, so I did a lot of nodding or hand gestures for a couple days. Even though I was in that whirlwind and knew I was having a surgery, I felt so much relief because we knew what we were dealing with, we had a plan, and I knew it was going to be taken care of. And, because of the wonderful people on this site, I had a pretty good idea of what I could face afterward as far as pain, recovery, things to do to help recovery, etc. So, I hope you get good news, and I pray for you that everything with you will turn out good!🙏🙏🙏

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I’m so anxious about the risks involved to start with. But the new Dr that’s going to do it will set up appointment with me first to explain everything.

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@dalelieberman3

I’m so anxious about the risks involved to start with. But the new Dr that’s going to do it will set up appointment with me first to explain everything.

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@dalelieberman3 , I'm sure it helps to know the next step, but it comes with a new set of questions too. I've added a Mayo Clinic link regarding bronchoscopies:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bronchoscopy/about/pac-20384746
The procedure is generally well tolerated. I'm losing track, but I think I've had 4 bronchoscopies over the past five years. None were close to my heart, so I didn't have that added risk.
Is the procedure doctor that you'll be meeting with a pulmonologist?

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Dale,

"Hope" is the byword of all cancer survivors. I was diagnosed with Stage 2b in June 2018 and it became Stage 4 when it metastasized to my brain in 2020. I've had a node grow by 50% in 3 months. 3 months after that, it had shrunk to even smaller than it's originally detected size. Why did it grow that much that fast? No one knows. But it happens. We've continued to watch that node, and a few others, and they consistently do nothing.

From my perspective, if I haven't had a definitive diagnosis of cancer, then I don't have it. I've been cancer-free for most of my last 7 years. I'm still working full-time as a rocket engineer at NASA and judging BBQ on the side. Try to follow Henry David Thoreau's advice when he said, "I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." I wish you all the best!

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