Another Question...Blood tests

Blood tests for what condition?

hi @dgulovsen - like biopsies, PET scans can miss cancer in nodules that are too small. I have 3 tumors confirmed through biopsy and only 2 showed up on my PET scan. You could ask you doctor about doing a "liquid biopsy". Those tests can pick up on malignant mutations. they are especially good at finding genetic ones because the amount that you have in your blood is higher. waiting is hard - hang in there!

The waiting is the hardest part for everyone, we want to know what is happening and how we can make the right decisions, on top of that if you’re dealing with cancer your mind is telling you things that you don’t want to think about. I realize that the doctors try to prioritize their patients according to the urgency of their needs and now they have even more to deal with…I remember years ago when our medical system was failing us but at least you got in with a doctor very quickly, today we are trying to survive with a shortage of medical care, I live in Canada. In 2022 I had more cancer and it was decided that they do a wedge section, I waited for a while to get in for surgery and on one occasion it was cancelled because of staff shortages, I was already in the hospital and prepped for surgery, this was very traumatic to deal with, at the end of the day I am going through the same process of watch and wait and it doesn’t get easier being my third time to do this, we try to do the best we can and pray for the best results amen.

I guess i should have been more clear. Blood tests to help determine if a nodule is cancerous...mutations or markers

@frouke thank you for your response. This is my first go at this. It worries me even more that so many stories like yours are of reoccurrence. I do not know your history but it seems like this is just the beginning and that the nodules keep popping up.

Chatgpt basically said- if it grows its cancer, if it stabilizes it still may be cancer and only if it disappears you are safe. So we have to wait and see if it grows--and hoping that if it does during the wait that it didn't go into the lymph nodes and spread. I really would like a bronchoscopy and biopsy but my doctor who is not from a large clinic said no way its impossible no one would perform that.

@mamajite I think I will call and see if they will let me get a liquid biopsy.

I remember my first experience with a suspicious lung nodule, it was 9 mm. and in the upper left lung, all I wanted was for them to get rid of it, I couldn’t understand why they were waiting to see if it changed, I asked for a biopsy but they refused due to the size being too small and they weren’t sure it was malignant…it actually took 3 more years to become cancer. I made myself sick with worry about everything that might happen and all that I ended up with is hurting my health. I had to try very hard to believe in the process and also the doctors, I did have cancer again almost two years later and it was dealt with, both times I had surgery but no chemo and radiation, I can’t do surgery anymore and that’s what is troubling me a lot. I agree with you that it’s scary to go through this but what other options do you have, it’s not all bad news because I have read so many good stories from survivors and it helped me tremendously, I never underestimate the human spirit and it works for me, best wishes.

@dgulovsen if they don't want to order it for you, this is another option.
https://www.galleri.com/patient/the-galleri-test

@dgulovsen, I'd find an oncologist and see what they think. Without knowing any more, I'm surprised that your pulmonologist doesn't want a PET scan which is usually the next step in determining whether a nodule is cancerous. Does he also not prescribe CAT scans because of the radiation? The waiting can be hard. Hang in there.

@mamajite I am having a video conference with my pulmonologist next week on the liquid biopsies. I will see what she says. More waiting.