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Noticed 3 nodules on my right lung (scared to death)
Hi everyone! First and foremost, thank you all for your support! I recently had a low dose CT scan of the chest and found 3 nodules on my right lung. I have about 19 years of smoking. I am extremely terrified with the findings and after reading several medical journals, I am convinced that I have lung cancer. Right now, my nodules are less then 6 mm. What is freaking me out more is that on the report it says benign but just today, I got a referral to the Oncology department at the City of Hope. I have been crying my eyes out to be honest. My family has turned their backs on me and dont want to help. Please, help me. Im so paralyzed with fear about having cancer and have no one to talk to. I attached my CT findings down below. Please, please help and any advice would be grateful and having a freind(s) would be awesome. Thank you all.
EXAM: CT LUNG SCREENING
HISTORY: Patient is 44 years old with long-term history of smoking
FINDINGS:
PULMONARY NODULES: 5 mm solid posterior right upper lobe nodule (3/78), 4 mm solid subpleural inferior right upper lobe nodule (3/111), and 2 mm solid subpleural anterior right middle lobe nodule (3/125).
LUNGS/AIRWAYS/PLEURA: There is no focal consolidation. Mild paraseptal emphysema. The trachea and main segmental bronchi are patent without endobronchial filling defects. Bronchial wall thickening, suggestive of chronic airway disease. There is no pleural effusion.
LOWER NECK/CHEST WALL/AXILLA: The visualized lower neck and chest wall appear grossly unremarkable. There is no axillary lymphadenopathy.
MEDIASTINUM/HILA: No pathologically enlarged mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes are seen.
CARDIOVASCULAR: There is no pericardial effusion. Mild coronary artery calcification. The thoracic aorta is within normal limits of caliber. The pulmonary trunk and arteries are within normal limits of caliber.
UPPER ABDOMEN: Given the low dose technique, images of the upper abdomen are extremely limited for diagnostic purposes, however appear grossly unremarkable.
OSSEOUS STRUCTURES: There are no acute osseous abnormalities.
IMPRESSION:
1. Pulmonary nodules measuring less than 6 mm
2. Mild coronary artery calcification.
LUNG-RADS Category 2: Benign.
MANAGEMENT: Recommend screening low-dose chest CT in 12 months.
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Saw my oncologist today. PET scan results were good! Primary tumor has shrunk a little and metastases are gone! I'll be continuing the Tagrisso and lucky the ankle swelling is something I can deal with. My husband and I went away for a few days to north FL for a few days and I didn't think much about my illness, just to take the meds (I'm also on potassium as it was low at one point). (I am not a "sir", but a "ma'am"! No worries). So that was a much needed break! So, it was really good news and now I will see him every 2 months instead of every 3-4 weeks. That's really the best news I could hear right now. My husband wants to take another trip in mid-late October out west to the Utah parks via Vegas (we've been to Vegas once waaaay back in 2011. I'm not a drinker nor a big gambler but we saw some good shows!) They have busses that go to the Utah parks and the Grand Canyon and pick you up at the certain hotels. Still hoping that your visit on the 18th goes well.
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5 ReactionsHi everyone! First and foremost, thank you all for your support! I recently had a low dose CT scan of the chest and found 3 nodules on my right lung. I have about 19 years of smoking. I am extremely terrified with the findings and after reading several medical journals, I am convinced that I have lung cancer. Right now, my nodules are less then 6 mm. What is really causing me more fear is that 2 of the nodules are on the upper lobe and from my research, having nodules on the upper lobe is a high change of malignancy. Please, help me. Im so paralyzed with fear about having cancer and have no one to talk to. I attached my CT findings down below. Please, please help and any advice would be grateful and having a freind(s) would be awesome. Thank you all. I really need friends, please be a friend. I really would love develop a friendship with those of us fighting this battle with cancer or the possibility of cancer. I love you all, please get in contact with me. I would love to have an advocate with me when I see the pulmonologist on Nov 13th. Thank you all again.
EXAM: CT LUNG SCREENING
HISTORY: Patient is 44 years old with long-term history of smoking
FINDINGS:
PULMONARY NODULES: 5 mm solid posterior right upper lobe nodule (3/78), 4 mm solid subpleural inferior right upper lobe nodule (3/111), and 2 mm solid subpleural anterior right middle lobe nodule (3/125).
LUNGS/AIRWAYS/PLEURA: There is no focal consolidation. Mild paraseptal emphysema. The trachea and main segmental bronchi are patent without endobronchial filling defects. Bronchial wall thickening, suggestive of chronic airway disease. There is no pleural effusion.
LOWER NECK/CHEST WALL/AXILLA: The visualized lower neck and chest wall appear grossly unremarkable. There is no axillary lymphadenopathy.
MEDIASTINUM/HILA: No pathologically enlarged mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes are seen.
CARDIOVASCULAR: There is no pericardial effusion. Mild coronary artery calcification. The thoracic aorta is within normal limits of caliber. The pulmonary trunk and arteries are within normal limits of caliber.
UPPER ABDOMEN: Given the low dose technique, images of the upper abdomen are extremely limited for diagnostic purposes, however appear grossly unremarkable.
OSSEOUS STRUCTURES: There are no acute osseous abnormalities.
IMPRESSION:
1. Pulmonary nodules measuring less than 6 mm
2. Mild coronary artery calcification.
LUNG-RADS Category 2: Benign.
MANAGEMENT: Recommend screening low-dose chest CT in 12 months.
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4 Reactions@friend777, Hi friend, I know just how frightened you’re feeling and it’s really tough to get through this, I’ve been down this road too and it feels like you’re all alone but believe me when I say that you have many friends here that have also experienced this start with their journey. I read that your nodules are quite small, I realize it’s not perfect but it does help when you’re dealing with early detection, they’re located in the upper lobe and I remember reading the same thing about the risk being higher as well being an ex smoker. There’s no mention of definitely having cancer at this point in time, when you see the pulmonologist in November everything will be explained to you in detail and this will help you feel much better once you’re more informed. When I started my journey they found a nodule 8 mm in my upper left lobe, no one called it cancer but suggested follow up ct scan to see how it goes, it took 3 years for me to get a cancer diagnosis, I too was an ex smoker, it was considered early stage and I was given a upper left lobectomy, nothing else afterwards. I am a six year survivor now even though I had another nodule removed two years later, it will help you a lot to read the different stories of other people’s experiences and outcomes, it can be very inspiring for you to learn more about what is happening and also how many options there are today for a successful survival best wishes.
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8 Reactions@frouke Hi Frouke! Thank you for the response! I am sorry that you were diagnosed with lung cancer. How long did you smoke for? You had only 1 nodule that they noticed when you did you ct scan? I know later you said they found another nodule. Are you diagnosed non small lung cancer? I am certain I have early lung cancer. When you had your ct scan did the radiologist also say benign on your findings? I just read so much about lung cancer being known to harbor itself in the upper lungs. Congratulations on being a 6 year survivor. That is awesome to hear. Why did it take so long for you to get a diagnosis? Your nodule was big enough to do a biopsy. How old are you if you dont mind me asking? Very nice to meet you my friend. Thank you for being a support. What do you think about treatment and such for lung cancer? I know people are optimistic about the recent treatments and such, what do you think?
@friend777 it's tough to have to wait to speak with a doctor after getting your imaging results. I agree with @frouke that you'll feel better after your Nov. appointment. I understand why you feel the nodules are malignant, but the only way to know for sure is with a biopsy. and it's hard(er) to biopsy nodules that are under 1 cm. so unless there are other concerning factors they see on imaging, they usually put you on a "watch and wait" rescanning schedule. the radiologist recommended rechecking in a year, but this is something you could discuss with your pulmonologist.
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6 Reactions@mamajite Hi Mamajite! Thank you for your response! I hope that I will feel better after the Nov appointment. I go see a pulmonologist at the city of hope. I really never heard about the city of hope but recently, I heard that they are a very good hospital. The radiologist report said it was Lung rads 2, benign. Have you ever had any pulmonary nodules? What is your outlook on lung cancer nowadays? Regarding treatment and the thought of it being a death sentence? I read recently thay in the future, companies are talking about therapeutic vaccines and even preventive vaccines for lung cancer. It so scary that it is the number 2 killer worldwide. So many souls have this disease. Do you think city of hope is a good hospital and I would be in good hands? Thank you mamajite! Glad yo have you as a friend as well
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3 ReactionsHi @friend777, welcome to Mayo Connect. It's understandable to feel the way you do. The unknown isn't something that sits well with any of us. You are scared and concerned but know that the process of determining what these nodules are may take a while. That's because these nodules are small right now and hopefully aren't that fast growing. Also, know that IF this is cancer, the screening process worked, in identifying these nodules at a very early state. That's great! Early-stage lung cancer is treatable. Screening programs are saving lives.
As questions come into your mind, write them down. This works for me, as when it gets on paper, it stops some of that swirling in my mind.
Have you started a list of questions for the pulmonology appointment on the 13th?
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4 Reactions@lls8000 Hi Ms. Lisa! Wow, I just read your profile. You are a stage 4 lung cancer survivor. I just wanted to give you some much credit in continue to fight. How were you diagnosed? Did you have a lingering cough, back pain? I know with early stages of cancer, many are asymptomatic. To be honest, I had no symptoms. I just told my Physician assistant that I wanted to do a low dose ct scan of the chest. He said your chest x ray came out unremarkable before I had the ct but as a former student of health, I remember reading that x rays dont catch alot and one of the things I remember is that if the mass is less than 10mm a x ray will more than likely miss it. I had a pulmonologist tell me, we can just do x rays once a year and said no, I told him my history and even still insisted on a x ray, thats why I changed to a PA and the PA wrote the order and now where I am right now. I cant stand that pulmonologist, if I didnt trust my gut feeling and believed him, I would of had this disease at a later stage. Ms. Lisa, is true that lung cancer is no longer a death sentence as it once was ma y years ago? I heard from some, lung cancer now is like have diabetes, get it checked regularly but have long survivor chance. I have been reading that there are lot of treatments and such. I know im the UK they started a clinical trial for vaccine to prevent lung cancer. Wow! I find it so scary that it is the 2 most lethal disease. What do you think the outcome will be of lung cancer in the future? I read 3 stories of survivors hitting the 20 year mark and more. I remember when I was younger, hearing that cancer as a diagnosis was a chance for you to say your goodbyes as you will be gone soon. Seems that it not the case as much. Ms Lisa, how long does it take for nodules to grow? Yhe radiologist said check back in a year but I think that is too long. It says benign on the Rads lung assessment. So I am just in limbo, oh I have questions for the pulmonologist on Nov 13th as he specializes in lung cancer and lung nodules among other areas of expertise. I go to city of hope. Are you familiar with them? Is that good place? Thank you miss Lisa for being a friend. Hope you are doing well fighter. Keep fighting and beating cancer down.
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2 Reactions@frouke Hi, do you think everyone should be getting a low dose ct scan of the chest, annually? It seems from reading Keck Medical from USC, health line and other medical information sites, seems quite a few individuals are getting diagnosed with lung cancer without having a risk factor and getting diagnosed at a later stage. People who are young to and otherwise healthy.
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1 Reaction@friend777, this is such an important question. Currently there is no screening test for lung cancer. While regular low dose CT scan may seem like a good idea, it may not be. This is something public health researchers study.
In fact, "More Is Not Always Better," was a public health campaign that started in the US and spread to other countries for patients to discuss with their doctor when and what testing or medical interventions are right for them. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2019/mar/choosing-wisely-international-movement-toward-appropriate-medical-care
One of their campaign images sticks with me: A washing machine overflowing with soap suds.
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