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Living with lung cancer - Introduce yourself & come say hi
Welcome to the Lung Cancer group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet people living with lung cancer or caring for someone with lung cancer. Let's learn from each other and share stories about living well with cancer, coping with the challenges and offering tips.
I'm Colleen, and I'm the moderator of this group, and Community Director of Connect. Chances are you'll to be greeted by volunteer patient Mentors and fellow members when you post to this group. Learn more about Moderators and Mentors on Connect.
We look forward to welcoming you and introducing you to other members. Feel free to browse the topics or start a new one.
Let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?
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Welcome Bob, @bobca, We all understand feeling scared. Cancer is scary stuff. There is a lot of hope and promise in your story. Your doctor is recognizing where you can get the best possible care and is willing to send you to another hospital to get that care. They sound like a great doctor!
I saw a surgeon at a local hospital (for breast cancer), but I had reservations about the surgical/pathology method that they were using. I went to another hospital as a second opinion, and I was so overly impressed with the surgeon and how the facility was run that I canceled the surgery with the local hospital. I knew that I was in the right place, even if it was away from my home. Hopefully you have a similar experience.
Have you met with the surgeon at the new hospital yet? What are the next steps?
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1 Reaction@fiddlershere New here also and no expert but what I have read is the PET scan shows hot spots - those hot spots can be cancer but can also be scar tissue or infection or other things. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable helps me out if that is not correct but it's what I learned as I am going through the same process.
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1 Reaction@lls8000 Thanks for the encouragement. I have a meeting with the surgeon at the new hospital on 2/25. I expect next steps to be surgery in early March. Not sure he will want additional tests since I have had just about every imaginable test possible over the past four weeks. (kidding of course but it feels that way).
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5 Reactions@bobca Hi Bob I had Right lung lower lobe lobectomy and resection by robot assisted I was SCLC early stage.. Operation was successful in that they removed the cancer and checked lmpth nodes.. I had my 6 month Ct Scan in November last year no further spread of dicease... I'm 66 was terrified of surgery I will say that robotic is less invasive but 8 months post op I'm still getting the usual stabbing pains nerve damage and pain around the incision site taking 400mg pregabalin but almost getting back to were I was I've been diagnosed with copd shortness of breath but other than that om.. Im sure your procedure will be fine sounds your in good hands hope this helps and good luck with the op.
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4 ReactionsWelcome @fiddlershere, I think it's fairly common to forget that first conversation with the doctor. Your doctor knows this, and won't be offended if you are honest, and ask that they repeat the conversation. It can be helpful to have a trusted friend/family member with you in person or even on the phone. Focusing on yourself is needed right now, your friends have been through similar situations and would certainly understand.
The scan is telling the pulmonologist that there is something that we should look into further. It's not a confirmation of cancer. PET/CTs can show areas that don't look quite right. Those areas may be inflammation, infection, fungus, cancer, many things. Depending on the size and the level of brightness on the PET scan, they may want to get a sample that can be analyzed by a pathology lab.
Did they setup additional appointments for you? What are the next steps?
More information on PET scans:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pet-scan/about/pac-20385078
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2 Reactions@chubby55 Thanks for the information. Good to know what to expect after the surgery. Glad you're doing well and testing negative?
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2 Reactions@fiddlershere For the PET scan, they inject you with a glucose (sugar) solution. You wait and let it travel through your system for about an hour. Then they put you in a scanner. The "hot spots" are where the most glucose is being used. Cancer cells divide rapidly and use a lot of glucose for the process. Scar tissue and infection can also use up more glucose.
@dunsmorej54, I am sorry I misunderstood. I had understood palliative care to be end of life interventions..making one comfortable without any ongoing medical treatments. Almost used interchangeably with hospice.
I hope your bf will advocate for himself and seek out another oncologist, if that will make him more comfortable in his decisions and treatment, if that is what he chooses. God bless you both.
@stevenh31, how did the meeting with the oncologist go? Have you started chemo? How are you doing?
@dianelivingston47, it's a whirlwind. How did your appointment with the doctor go? What are the next steps?