Suspicious Nodule

It's not cancer until a biopsy says it's cancer. If this should be diagnosed as a cancer they will know if you are fit to withstand surgery or if they will have to rely on chemo and radiation. Surgery is the Gold Standard of lung cancer treatment and I send hope that it would be all you need.

My father’s advice: don’t worry in advance. More tests will help determine the best treatment plan for you. Keep us posted.

Welcome to Mayo Connect @cinder59. During this time try to focus on what you know, and not the speculation of what it might be. Knowing the size and spiculated nature of your nodule, the doctors are being careful and want to be prepared, that's a good thing.
There are many discussions on Connect that have been started by members in similar circumstances. Some may be helpful, some may be unnerving. Remember that each of these cases aren't YOU. Everyone is different.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/is-a-spiculated-lung-nodule-always-malignant/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/12-mm-spiculated-nodule-upper-right-lobe/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lung-nodule-reassuring-results-but-still-anxious/

Thank you so much —the waiting is the hardest.

@cinders59, how are you doing? Have you learned anything more?

Thank you for checking on me . Had my PET scan and 2 nodules lit up. The next is a biopsy. Just waiting and trying to be still.

Here is the narrative from my PET SCAN

1.2 cm right upper lobe lung nodule best seen on image 82 is mildly hypermetabolic max measured be 2.3 greater than lung background concerning for neoplasm. Consider biopsy. There is also a small left upper lobe lung nodule measuring about 0.7 cm but mild hypermetabolic max SUV 2.6 also concerning for neoplasm. Is this cancer ????
Being scheduled for ION bronchoscopy biopsy.

@cinders59, a biopsy is a great next step. The active PET doesn’t always mean cancer, and a biopsy will get to the cellular level of the nodule. The biopsy is generally well tolerated, with a slight cough afterwards for a few days. I’ve had three over the past four years. Usually a pulmonologist would perform that procedure. Are they doing the biopsy through a bronchoscopy procedure?

Hi @cinders59, I just saw this after responding to your other post. These SUV numbers measure the ‘uptake’ of the glucose serum to the nodules. I’m sure you’ve read that PET scans can show inflammation, infection, cancer, or any metabolically active areas. These numbers are not off the charts. They are actually on the low side. The biopsy is certainly a good next step to confirm the cellular nature of the nodule/s.
For comparison, my cancerous nodules were over 10 SUV, but my fungal nodules were in the 2 range.