Scan Results In.Not sure How I feel Yet

pluckey
pluckey Member Posts: 484 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
CT scan in July - nodule in right lobe of lung ggrew from 3 mm to 7 mm
CEA 2.5 - up from 1.9

PET/CT last week- Lung nodule uptake - 8mm
CEA down to 1.6


Onc feels it's "something" but not an alarming something.
She said "knowing you are aggressive and want answers" she suggest a consult with Onc/Thoracic surgeon to discuss if a biospsy is in order or wait to see if it grows then biospsy/resect

I have no knowledge of anything to do with lung mets or tumors.

Since CEA down, is this more likely start of a Primary Cancer in Lung rather than a recurrence of CRC?

Does this **** grow quickly once it's on the uptake?
Can it be an isolated small tumor that can be reseted and then no more? Or, once the beast in the lings, a constant game of scan and cut?

so many questions
but I guess i have to wait until i speak wiht a lung guy

Any recommendations on Lung sureon at Sloan Kettering? I was going there to see my lvier surgeon as a look-see/keep in touch with the Best!

Comments

  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #2
    Well.........
    there are lots of options on the table.....RFA, Stereotactic radiation, gammaknife,nannoknife,cyberknife. VATS (Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery) resection or Wedge resection, Laproscopic resection...
    If you suspect it is cancer I would opt out of a biopsy..Might be something that could be simply bypassed...If CEA is climbing and is a good indicator for you I opted to have it removed. MM size is not very big at all. 1 cm is about the size of the end of your finger, and normally mm size isn't large enough for a biopsy anyway. I would look for something the least invasive as possible. I really would look into the Stereotactic radiation if available in your area. It supposedly works well for smaller tumors. You may be a great candidate for this......Keep us updated........love to you, buzz
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #3
    my experiences
    Well, whatever the nodule is, if it was 7mm in July and 8mm in August, then it isn't growing quickly.

    I've had 3 lung nodules. Two removed surgically (this was years ago, before other options were so common). The third one disappeared (one miracle per lifetime??).

    I certainly think consult with a thoracic expert is a good idea. Gathering information! One option is "watchful waiting" (which is what you are doing now, I guess). Since it is so small, that might be what is recommended. I waited 3 mos once. The nodule grew a little but not much. Then surgery.

    Biopsy is an option. In my own highly personal experience, maybe not worth it. Trying to biopsy such a tiny spot in the lung is not easy -- I had two failures. And it's a little invasive. In my case, it was 'easier' to just go ahead and treat. But this is just my own experiences.

    Oh, I also went through the debate about whether it was maybe primary lung versus CRC recurrence. Of course that is possible. But, knowing that CRC can (and, sadly, often does) metastisize to lung, I have to say IMHO it is more probably a met. That is if it is even anything nasty! Maybe it isn't! Feed the faith, starve the fear -- one thing I learned is that a lot of "normal" people have various funny spots in their lungs - which are not harmful. However, we are a rather special group and need to be more suspicious....

    Just FYI, once I had those two lung mets, I never had any more. Go figure. So, it certainly neednt be a case of once in the lungs, it just goes on....

    Good luck! Please keep us posted

    Tara
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    Hi Plucky
    To me, it sounds like it's just part of the CRC, not a new cancer. Depending on where it is in your lung, an RFA could be possible. I've had three done by Dr. Stephen Solomon over at Sloan and I have to have another one in the very near future.
    For the lung wedge resections I've had, the surgeon I had at Sloan took a position somewhere else. His name is Dr Bernard Park. He was very good, did 3 operations on me.
    Hopefully they can take the spot out and that will be all.
    -phil
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #5
    Sorry to hear you have this to deal with
    I'm sorry to hear you have this lung "thingie" to deal with. Maybe we can go to MSKCC together? I might be headed there if they won't get aggressive enough here for me. It seems to me that 1cm seems to be a "magic" size - that they don't do much with any mets under 1cm very often. The "wait and see" thing is common. With something that small, you could be a candidate for SBRT too.
  • marqimark
    marqimark Member Posts: 242 Member
    #6
    Scary
    It may or may not be anything.
    I Haven't been a member of this "CLUB" long enough comment intelligently.

    What counts, to me, is that it is scary.
    I hope your answers come quickly so you can stop worrying and make a fight plan.
    Or, better, stop worrying because there is nothing to worry about.

    Prayers

    Mark

    <><

Discussion Boards