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Standardized uptake value (SUV) 5.4 and 4.8 mean nodules cancerous?

Posted by skm101 @skm101, Mar 4 1:05pm

Does the SUV of 5.4 and 4.8 mean my modules are cancerous? My report says no evidence for distant FDG avid metastases. Does this mean that are cancerous but not spread? Would they include this in the report if they didn't know for sure they are cancerous?

I have a biopsy Thursday

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Mentor
Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Apr 18 1:08pm
In reply to @skm101 "Hi Lisa, I did have my bronchology/ biopsy. They were all inconclusive. 4 lymph node biopsies..." + (show)
@skm101

Hi Lisa,

I did have my bronchology/ biopsy. They were all inconclusive. 4 lymph node biopsies and a lung wash. None showed malignancy but inconclusive because they don't know why the PET lite up. I have seen a surgeon and sent my fomed/ records to Mayo for a second opinion. I was under the impression I could do a virtual appointment but can't since no DR is authorized in Missouri. I was just hoping for a second opinion. I am scheduled to have surgery may 3rd here. Resection to do a biopsy on nodule, if cancerous, take out upper lobe and I think he said lymph nodes too then chemo and radiation. If not cancerous, the sew me up and that's it.

I'm very confused on it all. How can a biopsy be inconclusive 5 times in different areas/ things. And they found mold in my lungs but don't seem much concerned about it.

Any advise is much appreciated, scared

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@skm101, I can't imagine how frustrating this must be, when all you want are answers. There is good news, it's not obviously cancer, and that's a very good thing! There is still hope that the nodules aren't cancerous.
It's scary to have surgery to determine what's causing the nodules, but it sounds like that's the only way to know for sure at this point. We all have different tolerances for risk. Waiting could prove that the nodules are caused by an infection or your body's reaction to the mold that you mentioned, but it could also allow a cancer time to spread.

Being a stage IV patient myself, maybe my view on this isn't typical. After I had one inconclusive bronchoscopy this past November, going into a second bronchoscopy in January I told the pulmonologist that we weren't doing this a third time. My message was, make sure you get the cells that we need, and thankfully they did. They found a fungus at that time. If they had suggested surgery, I'm sure I would have declined and opted to wait to see what happened with the nodules and enlarged lymph nodes. Again, I have a skewed view of these things than most people. I've already come to a point of accepting that my cancer is a part of me.
My point is that we all have choices to make, and each of us have different reasoning for making those choices. I hope your doctor has answered your questions. They are tying to make sure that they don't miss an opportunity to catch a cancer in a early stage. That's good.

In case this is helpful, looking at the NCI designated cancer centers, Washinton University in St. Louis is on the list for Missouri. (https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find)

REPLY
sjohnson60 | @sjohnson60 | Apr 18 7:23pm

I used to get worried about the SUV uptake as well, I was boldly told they are target spots not necessarily cancer, they will watch and if anything questionable they will follow up with further testing. If they do not then you ask for them.

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