1 cm lung cancer tumor with COPD & emphysema: Anxious

Hi Lisa: so sweet of you to take the time to write such generous words.

It is seemingly impossible to get anyone to see me quickly. The surgeon is a week away and the pulmonologist isn't until early February. I am having a rough day. It seems in many ways hopeless to me. I can't get anyone to return a call. I take full responsibility for the choices I have made in my life. It just seems that the delays have been going on since early December. I asked to see a pulmonologist last year and was told there was nothing in my scan to see one.

My doctor was quite sanguine about my prospects for surgery but now seems to think it needs to be done quickly. I am so disappointed.

I guess we'll have to wait and see. Thank you again for your thoughtful gesture.

Frank

Hi Frank ( @franki24 ), Kudos to you for keeping active even with the multiple diagnoses. Exercise can help to clear our minds of the clutter too. This is a stressful time for you, but it sounds like you are on the right track and have a good team behind you. Do you also have a pulmonologist? It may be interesting to get their take on the history of your scans.
If you get to the point for surgery, remember that it is never easy, but what we envision in our minds can often be worse than what we experience. It's normal to feel stress in anticipation of that day. Hopefully the video visit with the surgeon puts you at ease.

Frouke: I just arrived home from visiting my wife's family. I was having a mild panic attack/depressive moment. Your words struck me like a thunderbolt to my heart. I cannot explain to you the wave of relief that came over me. How thoughtful, kind and generous of you to send such optimistic and uplifting words.

I will keep you posted and please let me know that you are well.

My most fervent appreciation to you.

Frank

@franki24, hi, I read your message and know basically what you’re experiencing, I’m a two time cancer survivor also in the lungs. I remember when they found a suspicious nodule in the upper left lobe, it was too small for biopsy so they waited and it became cancer three years later. It was six months into the pandemic and the doctor said a lobectomy was the best course to take, I was totally on board with that because I wanted rid of it. I wasn’t as physically fit as you are but recovered nicely over a few months. It’s amazing what they can do today and so many new treatments are coming up now for people like us, years ago lung cancer was pretty much a death sentence but today with scans and early detection people are living for years after diagnosis..there’s several people here that are surviving nicely with stage four cancer so that’s amazing and very encouraging for all of us. I’m feeling confident that you are in a good place, early detection combined with good health, you will no doubt ace this, all the best to you and looking forward to hearing from you later when it’s all behind you.

Denzie: Thank you so much for your informative and hopeful reply.

It was a ground glass nodule that solidified. My pcp thought it was cancer immediately and the PET confirmed his analysis.

I just finished a 2 mile walk 70 percent or so uphill with no issues. My blood saturation remained at 96 97 the entire time.

My Doc is very optimistic about my having VATS and has referred me as an excellent candidate for surgery.

I have been reading studies and people's comments here. Some frighten me and some cause me to be hopeful.

I guess we shall see.

Thank you so much for taking the time for sharing your thoughts. I will be looking forward to more.

May God bless you.

Frank

Your general health going into this is an important factor in your recovery. That you do exercise in the form of those daily walks will work in your favor.

Please know that only a biopsy can determine if something is cancerous. The PET scan looks for areas of high probability. Sometimes there is something about the appearance of the nodule that suggests it might be cancer. There are hundreds of reasons a nodule might read a high SUV on a PET scan.

You mentioned that it solidified. Was it described last year as a ground glass nodule or opacity? That is often an indication that it is cancerous. That it has only grow 1mm in a year is good news. It means it is slow growing and not very aggressive. NSCLC tends to double in size every 7 months.

Surgery is usually only done with curative intent. Somethings you can do to help your recovery are to sleep in a recliner and walk a bit everyday. In cold weather it's ok to walk around inside your home. The hospital with affiliated practices I go to has covered hallways and connecting buildings. There's a one mile route that many use during inclement weather.