Lower lung adenocarcinoma found on routine x-ray: So scary.

@blue717 , Hi there, I just wanted to welcome you to the group, we are all here to help others and receive it when needed. I’m sorry that you’re going through this frightening experience and I know exactly how hard this can be, it’s overwhelming for sure but you’re with people who have been through this and hopefully can give you some comfort and peace of mind. I’m also 75 and I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, it was in the upper left lobe, I too was scared to death but I’m still here six years later amen. I had a lobectomy which entails removing the lobe completely, being video assisted it minimized the procedure and usually discharged in 3 days to recover, thankfully nothing else was required. It’s very early stage that you have because the nodule is so small, you can’t beat early detection so you’re in a good position, you’re doctors will run the tests needed and determine what is best for your treatment and recovery. I want to say try not to worry too much but I’d be lying, it’s hard not to but you will be fine once you know everything and begin to feel grounded again, please stay connected and ask as many questions you need to feel safe, best wishes and God bless you.

hi @blue717 - it's tough news, but I'm glad you found us! as far as next steps, your dr should run biomarker testing to determine what genetic mutations your cancer might have. usually they have to send that to a special lab and it takes a couple weeks. but that helps them know what treatments would be most effective. if you haven't had a full body PET scan and brain MRI, they'll do those, too, to check if the cancer is anywhere else in your body. that's part of staging. the treatment for a single small tumor is usually surgery. but your team will consider your specific type of cancer and your overall health and determine the best treatment plan for you. as @frouke mentioned - it's really good that it was caught early. hugs!

Hey @blue717, I was 71 when a 3.2 cm mass was found incidentally. I sure understand your anxiety about "what's next?". I was able to see the results of the biopsy and the genetic testing online. I can't tell you how finding this group has helped me get through the ordeal. For me, the waiting was the worst. I believe they test for the most common gene mutation. If it's not a positive, they test for the next most common and so on. I had to wait a long time bc my gene mutation was more rare than others. The thing that got me through the ordeal, was "living with gratitude". I was so grateful the mass was found early. Grateful for the amazing medical care offered to me. I had one of the latest types of surgery called robot assisted thoracic surgery, aka RATS. It's only been available here for 2 yrs. I was grateful for the love and support I had from both of my 2 adult kids and my husband. It's easy to fall into an anxiety, stressful hole. When I started to do that, I remembered about "living with gratitude" was what I needed. Please keep us posted, or continue to ask questions you have. I was a "never smoker", so the lung cancer diagnosis was a real shock to me.

Although smoking remains the most prevalent cause for lung cancer, it’s shocking to learn how many young people in their 30’s, 40’s and over who are being diagnosed with lung cancer and never smoked!!

Welcome @blue717, Lung cancer is more treatable today than ever before, especially when found at an early stage. That also means that you may have some decisions to make regarding treatment. I also understand how scary this is can be. Did you have a biopsy that confirmed the adenocarcinoma? When is your next appointment; are you scheduled for another scan (PET?) or an appointment with pulmonology?

Hello and welcome @blue717…
glad you found this group of incredible people… they are the best, incredibly knowledgeable and kind.
I’m sorry you are going through this, it is scary.
My NSCLC adenocarcinoma was found incidentally too. No symptoms and a complete shock 😳 I was scared too.
After scans, I had a biopsy to confirm… I had a lobectomy in April. They took out the cancer and my right middle lobe, along with some lymph nodes.
Pathology came back that I did not need further treatment, no chemo radiation etc. I felt grateful beyond words, and still do.
Let us know how your appointment goes with your doctor, and know that you are still amazingly strong, scared or not.
Hugs 🤗

@lls8000 yes I had 2 pet scans and the biopsy with stage 1 lung adenocarcinoma. I have seen my pulmonologist who scheduled me to see both radiation doctor and oncology surgeon for next week to talk about options. My primary also called me to tell me that it is well treated and has not spread. But it is the most scared I have been in my 75 years

@daisydays thank you. I’m glad everything turned out well for you. I have only known about this for a little more than 24 hours. Still freakin out! Scary scary stuff

@donnademps I m going to keep coming back to your post to remember to live with gratitude when I start to freak out. Thank you for your story. I am grateful for that!

Thank you @blue717
Absolutely, this is a lot to take in, just trying to actually wrap your mind around this very frightening diagnosis is honestly indescribable.
At times it all felt unreal to me, other times, the tears just flew. It felt like such a shock, it was so unexpected and I was terrified.
I’m glad you found this group, you are not alone.
Huge hugs 🤗