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Living with lung cancer - Introduce yourself & come say hi
Lung Cancer | Last Active: Jan 22 8:18am | Replies (1013)Comment receiving replies
Hi @sura, Welcome to Mayo Connect. You are not along in this. There are many people here I know our first instinct with cancer can be, "get it out", but it can help to take a pause and evaluate what options are available. I agree with your first instinct, that surgery is a major decision and can lead to ongoing pain. But it is also sometimes necessary if a cure is possible! I'm glad you are getting a second opinion, that's a great idea in these cases. Some larger intuitions will also have a tumor-board where experts from many fields (surgery, pathology, oncology, radiation oncology) will come together to provide input into treatment recommendations.
How did the call with the surgeon go? Are you comfortable with a 6 month scan schedule? Did you possibly discuss a 3 month scan schedule, just for this first time?
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thank you so much for your response. My call with my doctor was helpful, probably as reassuring as it can get at this point. Because the nodules are
small - well, the larger ones are 9mm, 11mm, 13mm - at least to him, they are small, and especially because that are Not solid but primarily ground glass and also low grade, he does not see the point in surgery now (he did not say all of this my first visit). And because they doubled in size (just these, some disappeared) since the last CT scan 7 years ago, he predicts they may continue on that trajectory or even stay the same; my next CT scan in 5 months should help us see what is happening,,.. I questioned targeted radiation and he is happy to refer me to a radiation oncologist but believes that doctor would not want to do it, considering the side effects of radiation and potential to damage surrounding tissue not worth it....I contacted Mayo for a 2nd opinion but they are not doing a 1st visit or consult via telehealth, only in person. i believe MDAnderson will look at the images and notes and radiology reports and give an opinion, so i will look into that next week. Someone taking a second look would help me....the doctor I am seeing is at NW Memorial hospital in Chicago, is part of a Nodule Clinic with a full team of oncologists, surgeons, radiologist, pulmonologists who meet together to discuss before my first visit. ...I am just wondering if someone else would have a different opinion, not just wait and see. They might all want to wait for this next CT scan.
suraleah