Multiple lung nodules: Might they be noncancerous? What next?

Omgosh. You have a lot going on. I just said a prayer for you. I will know more on Monday and what kind of kickback my dr wants to give me on how to proceed. Sounds like a PET scan is the first step on what I’m reading..less invasive. Wonder how long that wait is. My family physician is with mayo and all my tests and records are at mayo. I do everything there.

Thanks. I am doing well. I don't care if I have lung cancer if it can be managed. Multifocal is like chronic lung cancer and slow growing. It is considered complex, and Mayo likes complex, so they told me. In fact, in Oct 2023, they are coming out with a ten-year study on it.
So, you are not in Twin Cites then. It is convenient to have all your records at Mayo, then your next specialist can see them without a lot of effort. I discovered I had a heart problem at the same time as my lung problem. I asked my Mayo Pulmonologist to refer me to Cardiology so I could have my medical decisions coordinated (I needed a stent which requires drug therapy that prohibits surgery for at least 6 months). I got an appointment within a week. I caught Covid in August and could not get prompt alternative treatment locally so I called Mayo and I had same day appointment.

Wow! That’s amazing you got in so quickly!!

I had a stent in April, and am on Plavix for six months, I knew that one cannot take Paxlovid antiviral together with Plavix if one catches Covid. My new primary care doctor here in Twin Cities passed my info to their Covid team but told me he did not know when they would call me and if there would be quantities of monoclonal antibody treatment available. He suggested I use my Mayo contacts. I am always on the Internet and saw a new study from Mayo that one monoclonal is almost as good as Paxlovid. I emailed one of the doctors and he responded right away. I also contacted my Mayo Pulmonologist to refer me to Mayo Covid team. I got a call within the hour. ON TOP OF THAT, the next morning (SATURDAY) I am just about to go into a Mayo Clinic for infusion and I get a call from Mayo Covid team. They did not know I already had an appointment and were reaching out to me because they track Minnesota positive Covid cases and contact Mayo patients to offer treatment. Mayo had my medical data, and they score patients on risk and contact those at highest risk of severe disease. Now that is how life is supposed to be. ....Now here in town? I had positive test on Thursday 6:30pm, spoke to Primary Fri morning and heard NOTHING from their Covid team until Mon at 11:05 am. That person explained to me that 1) they don't work on weekends 2) they don't score patients based on risk. It is a lottery system to be "fair". People with risk of 2 are mixed together with people with risk 15. And they had no openings for another two days earliest. Treatment should be started as early as possible, pills within 5 days and monoclonal within 7 days - so they are reaching patients too late. I of course submitted a complaint on that! One uses a lottery system when everyone is EQUAL, and the CDC clearly addresses treatment to be based on risk..and Covid works the weekend

aahlrichs, It's nice to hear you are in the Mayo system, If you can share, I'm curious if your family physician is located in Rochester, Jacksonville, or Scottsdale? Or practicing in one of the many outlying Mayo owned hospitals or clinics. Anyway there are many locations in the Minnesota, Wisconsin area. I'm not sure about Florida and Arizona. Thanks

Hi, Vic. You are the FIRST person who I've found has a pleural based nodule. I have somewhere around 8 of them, both lungs, ranging in size from 6mm, 5mm, a couple 3mm, and some smaller. What are you being told can be done about your pleural based nodule and if it is cancerous, how do they treat it? I have two LDCT, one in May and one last month. So far all I can tell that is new is that they found pleural thickening in both lungs, but they don't plan to rescan until NEXT AUGUST!!!!! Based on your experience, what would you do? Request another one sooner, request PET, go to another pulmonologist? LOL

Hi Registrar. I am not sure what you mean by a "pleural based nodule". I have multifocal adenocarcinoma (lung cancer). I have multiple nodules at various "life stages" (size and solid, part solid). There are several of us on Connect with this type of lung cancer. They start out as "ground glass" opacity and eventually if they become solid, they are treated. Treatment options depend on where they are located in the lung and if they have gone to the lymph nodes. Since Dec 2021 I have had two VAT wedge resections (surgery) and one round of SBRT (radiation). Total of 3 nodules treated. Fortunately, my lymph nodes have been negative, so I have not needed any chemotherapy.
I had a case of pleurisy-fluid which fortunately resolved itself. It shrank on its' own, cause unknown. Had it not resolved itself, there would have been concern that cells from the previous surgery had fallen there.
I am under close observation now because I also had STAS (spread through air space) for one nodule, it shed cells in the lung.
Look for a Pulmonologist experienced with lung cancer in a center able to provide all types of treatment options including video assisted thoracic surgery.
How long have they been tracking your nodules? Has there been any growth? I would tell them if I were not comfortable with too long a period.

I asked because you stated this in an earlier post:. "Now I too must watch and wait as I still have a 7mm pleural based nodule and ground glass.".

Hi again. Sorry for confusion. What post was that? I will rephrase it.
I had liquid buildup in the pleural space which caused me pain. My nodules are in a variety of locations in my lungs, mostly right upper lobe. As you stated, it is a waiting game.....

I am starting tests (CT, PFT, etc) for my eighteen month checkup on lung nodules. I also had one ground glass one last time around; but nothing had grown within the first six months. I do not perceive any symptoms. I am now on D3, and there was an NIH article on low D3 being a possible cause of nodules. In any case, this whole process can be unnerving, but other comments have been reassuring on this journey.