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Post-Lobectomy Pleura build up - does it ever resolve on its own?

Posted by beatles4ever @beatles4ever, Sep 23, 2023

Hi, everyone. I had a Left upper lobectomy on 8/16. Just over a month ago. This was a pretty fast-moving surgery since the lung nodule was incidentally found during a routine Breast MRI. It was about 15mm and Spiculated. Anyway, turns out it's cancer, Stage IIb, spread to some lymph nodes (and this is just anecdotal info, but I recently learned that it's the ROS1 mutation which is apparently quite rare). Anyway, a recent PET scan mentioned things like 'trapped lung,' pleura..and my oncologist said that some fluid lit up on the PET as well as some mediastinal nodes. So there's possibly a biopsy in my future here soon for that. I won't know until mid-week next week. Anyway, I am able to breathe pretty well, my pulse oxygen is consistently between 97-99% (I have a pulse oximeter at home), and I take a daily brisk 30 minute walk every single day. Has anyone ever had pleura fluid buildup after a lobectomy and it just...went away on its own? Or do people usually need to have it drained? I know mine may have to be checked out for cancer, but the oncologist DID say another possibility for it lighting up on the PET could be inflammation because it's in the same area as the surgery was performed. Thanks in advance for any info or experience you can share!

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cassueriose | @cassueriose | Feb 14 12:27pm
In reply to @lls8000 "Welcome @cassueriose, I'm sorry to hear about your nephew. There are certainly cases where surgery isn't..." + (show)
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Welcome @cassueriose, I'm sorry to hear about your nephew. There are certainly cases where surgery isn't done for many reasons and the other treatments are successful. He's fortunate to have others like you, that care so much, as part of his family.
Is his tumor a lung cancer? Is he being treated at a cancer center that the family trusts? Have they tried to treat the pleural effusion at all?

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@lls8000 ..hi thank you for your interest. His tumor is in the ,lung and they couldn’t do a biopsy because it was close to artery they now said there is cells in fluid and looks like a small tumor on hip takes Chemo I have now looked into a cancer center in uk and there are two good ones with excellent credentials he has made an appt. For second opinion. which I think is a good move. It’s a three hour journey from his home. Trains travel there a few times daily. I was thinking of the tumor how do they know if it’s malignant without a biopsy ? He gets the infusion when fluid builds up.
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Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Feb 16 3:32pm
In reply to @cassueriose "@lls8000 ..hi thank you for your interest. His tumor is in the ,lung and they couldn’t..." + (show)
Profile picture for cassueriose @cassueriose

@lls8000 ..hi thank you for your interest. His tumor is in the ,lung and they couldn’t do a biopsy because it was close to artery they now said there is cells in fluid and looks like a small tumor on hip takes Chemo I have now looked into a cancer center in uk and there are two good ones with excellent credentials he has made an appt. For second opinion. which I think is a good move. It’s a three hour journey from his home. Trains travel there a few times daily. I was thinking of the tumor how do they know if it’s malignant without a biopsy ? He gets the infusion when fluid builds up.
.

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@cassueriose, If he's healthy enough for the adventure, a second opinion can be very helpful. I've never regretted it, and mine is located a two-hour drive from my home.
Also if he needs it in the future, he'll have an established relationship with another expert.
I'm not a clinician, but I tend to think that unless we have pathology look at the cells of a metastasis, we never really know for sure if it's cancer. But the doctors and radiologists that read the scans are very good at identifying cancer through the images. They usually know even without the pathology, but it's an excellent question for his team, and the second opinion doctor/s too.
How is your family doing? Are they receptive to you, and other, helping during this time?

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cassueriose | @cassueriose | Feb 16 4:07pm
In reply to @lls8000 "@cassueriose, If he's healthy enough for the adventure, a second opinion can be very helpful. I've..." + (show)
Profile picture for Lisa, Volunteer Mentor @lls8000

@cassueriose, If he's healthy enough for the adventure, a second opinion can be very helpful. I've never regretted it, and mine is located a two-hour drive from my home.
Also if he needs it in the future, he'll have an established relationship with another expert.
I'm not a clinician, but I tend to think that unless we have pathology look at the cells of a metastasis, we never really know for sure if it's cancer. But the doctors and radiologists that read the scans are very good at identifying cancer through the images. They usually know even without the pathology, but it's an excellent question for his team, and the second opinion doctor/s too.
How is your family doing? Are they receptive to you, and other, helping during this time?

Jump to this post

@lls8000 thank you. His sister is doing research too. He has an appt Feb 24 for second opinion three hours away from home. Hoping this will help clear up some questions for him and all of us, will keep you posted.

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