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New spot on lung

Posted by bbeers @bbeers, Sep 16, 2025

Hi, was diagnosed with MAC 2 years ago. Pulmo and ID Dr's did not start me on meds, had no symptoms. I recently went for my 6 month check-up and they saw a new spot on my lung. Dr. doesn't think it's lung cancer but can't be sure. Could be an infection or a new spot of MAC, or lung cancer. I am on an antibiotic to see if it clears it up. I go back in three months and get a CT scan. If not cleared up or has gotten bigger, he will do a Bronchoscopy and take a biopsy. Question to all: has anyone ended up with lung cancer from MAC and do you think I should request a bronchoscopy now rather than wait 3 months. My concern is that if it is cancer I want to start treatment right away, not 4 or 5 months from now. I do see my family Dr. next week and will get his opinion on what I should do. Just wondered if anyone has had to face something like this. I so appreciate the time and effort spent by everyone on this site to answer our questions with such care and concern. Thank you.

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bbeers | @bbeers | Sep 21, 2025
In reply to @kathyjjb "For those of us with BE, nebulizing and airway clearance (e.g. huff coughs) will help keep..." + (show)
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For those of us with BE, nebulizing and airway clearance (e.g. huff coughs) will help keep the airways clear. The goal is to reduce exasperations and the subsequent infections. There are only a few studies out there on nebulizing for MAC treatment, but the few I have read have shown a potential link with nebulizing and spontaneous conversion. I was diagnosed with MABC in November 2024, and my Pulmonologist ordered the compressor and wrote script for the saline, the same day he gave me the diagnosis. By May 2025 my MABC cultures were negative. There is a study starting in Portland with 100 participants looking at using nebulization with 7% saline as a treatment for MAC. My hunch is that they will see an increase in spontaneous conversion. As for sputum cultures, I was sending in monthly sputum samples to NJH and I was not on antibiotics. NJH labs do NTM colony counts and that helps determine the disease progression or improvement. There was a post a few days ago on this site that listed 31 or 33 BE NTM Clinics, maybe you can find one close to you. The fact that you were diagnosed with MAC 2 years ago and nebulizing was not brought up, is a red flag. I had a local Pulm and ID doctor but I chose to go to NJH and I am so glad I did. There are really great videos and studies posted on this site=in just the past week. Also if you have time, you can find the 2025 BE NTM Patient and Family Conference on You tube. It's about 7 hours of lectures but you can see the individual lecturers (to the right of the screen). Kathy

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Hi Kathy, I made an appointment to now see him in October and I will tell him I want to meet with a Respiratory Therapist to learn how to do the airway clearance etc. I had asked him last year about it but he said he didn't see the need since I wasn't having any symptoms yet. I did see the list of the 33 NTM clinics and saved it in my archive file. You have been so helpful and I really appreciate it. Barb

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bbeers | @bbeers | Sep 21, 2025
In reply to @pacathy "They do cultures to find out if you have MAC or other organisms growing. Do you..." + (show)
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They do cultures to find out if you have MAC or other organisms growing.

Do you have bronchiectasis on the CT's?

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Hi, yes I do know why they do it initially; that's how they found out that I had MAC. I have never been on the meds, nor have I done airway clearance so I was wondering why I would need to have cultures done periodically since I didn't think MAC goes away on it's own without some kind of treatment. Thanks

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pacathy | @pacathy | Sep 21, 2025
In reply to @bbeers "Hi, yes I do know why they do it initially; that's how they found out that..." + (show)
Profile picture for bbeers @bbeers

Hi, yes I do know why they do it initially; that's how they found out that I had MAC. I have never been on the meds, nor have I done airway clearance so I was wondering why I would need to have cultures done periodically since I didn't think MAC goes away on it's own without some kind of treatment. Thanks

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Some think it is possible to clear it on your own, but there are other infections, like pseudomonas that are a concern as well.
My CT looks like I have MAC with many nodules, trees-in-bud, etc and I developec bronchiectasis. When the cultures turned out negative for MAC, I asked what caused the lung findings. There are 2 theories. One is that I had MAC and cleared it on my own or that it was from post nasal drainage seeping into lung. I
I had persistent sinusitis during that time, but it's under control now. I do airway clearance due to bronchiectasis.

I don't send in regular sputums (can't get them), but have a standing order for one in case I get exacerbations.
Good luck!

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kathyjjb | @kathyjjb | Sep 21, 2025
In reply to @bbeers "Hi, yes I do know why they do it initially; that's how they found out that..." + (show)
Profile picture for bbeers @bbeers

Hi, yes I do know why they do it initially; that's how they found out that I had MAC. I have never been on the meds, nor have I done airway clearance so I was wondering why I would need to have cultures done periodically since I didn't think MAC goes away on it's own without some kind of treatment. Thanks

Jump to this post

Hi Barb, the current odds are 10-15% of MAC clears on its own. That number may increase after the Portland study. Do you have Bronchiectasis? I nebulize to keep my lungs clear of all bacteria and help ward off BE exasperations. I was sending in monthly sputum cultures until I had 3 negatives, now NJH wants another culture in November since trace pseudomonas came back as "rare" or trace last month. I assume cultures will not be necessary then, unless I get an exasperation-like Cathy. NJH usually orders low energy CT's every 6 months during "wait and watch" periods.

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