New 3mm nodule after 2 years of clean scans

It’s just so frustrating and very hard to go through this process and then get information that makes your heart feel like it’s going too fast from the anxiety, I’m going through the same thing and posted my results here expressing how frightened I am and still am. It just doesn’t seem to get any easier no matter how long you’ve gone through this. I’ve read many stories here from people who are also suffering from the anxiety that comes with this disease. I wanted all sorts of reassurance that I will be fine but truth be known they can’t give you that, it’s always a watch and wait situation. I think that new nodules come along because I have read it on some of my ct scans and they often don’t say anything else, you’re new nodule is 3 mm and this is so tiny, also your getting a follow up ct scan in 3 months and that’s very good news because thankfully the nodules grow very slowly, it can be dealt with in several ways if needed and you’ll be fine after that. I know that with a nodule so tiny they can zap it off or perhaps do another wedge removal, thank goodness it’s caught in early stage because you will get the best advantage with this, nothing beats early detection, amen.

@klondike sorry to hear they found a new nodule. I can completely empathize with scan fatigue and scanxiety. here's hoping it resolves and if it doesn't, rest assured that you will have treatment options since it's been found so early. hugs!

@frouke my nodules were first found in 2018 and recently I've been reflecting on how my cancer journey has impacted my mental health. from being told I had cancer to having a biopsy cancelled bc the nodule resolved. then being told my scan was stable only to have the pulmonolgist disagree and order a bronchoscopy. then having 3 kinds of lung cancer at the same time and being told I'd only have a couple years. (happy to say that was very much incorrect!) but I hope cancer care improves and starts treating people more holistically, rather than constantly reacting to potential tumors. I think the process is broken.

@mamajite, I think you’re right about that but like everything else, old habits tend to go away slow, on one hand they are improving the quality of treatments and providing better outcomes, early detection is a very big part of increasing longevity for patients. In Canada we don’t have the very best healthcare system and unless you can afford private healthcare insurance you’re often left in a very vulnerable position. My cancer journey was and still is filled with unnecessary complications that are too many to mention, I’m grateful that I have made it this far and to be honest, I had to find my own path through all the barriers that I had to face. I feel that more errors are being made for many people and it’s hard enough to cope with cancer and also have to deal with so much incompetency.

Thank you, I read somewhere that cancer is more like a marathon than a quick race!

The scanxiety and scan fatigue add up and become a part of that awful rollercoaster ride and contribute to ptsd. I've been living with stage 4 lung cancer for almost 16 years. It does get easier.

I think it’s amazing that you’ve survived for 16 years, if ever we needed hope in our cancer journey you have definitely done a great thing of helping me and others. To say that it does get easier is profound and I sincerely appreciate you more than words could ever say, thank you.

@frouke thank you for those kind words.

@klondike, Scan fatigue and anxiety is certainly real, we all deal with it in different ways. I'm hoping that the 3mm nodule doesn't grow! Even lung cancer patients/survivors can develop non-cancerous nodules. I have one that my oncologists were convinced was cancer, but it turned out to be fungal. The process is stressful. I try to not jump to the worst case right away. Maybe that's my brain's way of trying to protect me, but it's helped. Try to enjoy your three months.