Wait and see if nodule changes with antibiotics

Posted by mscott1227 @mscott1227, Mar 10 9:10am

My best friend and I both have lung cancer. She was diagnosed last year and had a partial left lower lobe lobectomy. I was diagnosed in January of this year. My friend went through chemotherapy and radiation but reacted too severely to immunotherapy so she had to stop. She went back for her check up this month and they found a nodule on left lung again and her right lung is sprinkled like with salt particles. Her oncologist gave her antibiotics thinking she might have a pneumonia nodule and to come back in in May for another cat scan. This seems ridiculous. He never said anything about her blood work up that her white blood count was elevated for infection. I’m really don’t understand. Any suggestions

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Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Mar 10 11:53am

Hi @mscott1227, While we all wish you didn’t have to deal with this, you and your friend are fortunate to have each other to go through this together.
The ‘wait and see’ approach can be difficult, and everyone including doctors have different levels of comfort with that approach. If this is an infection the body will need some time to overcome it. How is she feeling about this approach? If she is comfortable with this, you can still express your concern, but ultimately it’s her decision to wait. If she’s concerned with waiting, a second opinion is never a bad idea if she’s able to get one. Is she experiencing any new symptoms? If yes, she needs to be upfront with her doctor and let them know right away. We don’t want the cancer advancing to a later stage.
How are you doing? What treatments have you had?

mscott1227 | @mscott1227 | Mar 10 4:05pm

I’m doing pretty good. I elected to go through a trial study. I start all the work up this week and start my first chemo next week. I have a really good oncologist. He doesn’t sit back and wait. He acts fast. I’m really glad he does!!