metastisized rectal cancer

mrslacsr
mrslacsr Member Posts: 30
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hello, I need some advice. In 2002 I was diagnosed with rectal cancer. I went through treatments and surgery. Everything went ok but in 2005 they found 2 pulmonary nodules in my left lung. It turned out to be metastisized rectal cancer. Once again I went through treatments and surgery.Everything has been ok. But last year in February they found 2 pulmonary nodules in my right lung. one was 2mm and the other was too small to determine. Six months later in August it became 6 nodules measuring 6mm,4mm,3mm;two of them are 2mm and one is too small to determine. My question is this: Should I be worried? Given my history I am. I have asked around and I still do not know what to do. I have a CT Scan in two weeks. What questions ahould I ask or should I wait and see how big they are or like one person said" Wait for growth because they are too small to biopsy". Please help me!!!!! Thanx!

Comments

  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #2
    Hi, I'm sorry that you're on
    Hi, I'm sorry that you're on this board because of them finding more nodules in your lungs. but, welcome to the board, anyhow- it's a good place for both support and information!
    In additiont to the CT scan, I'd request a PET scan also be done. They can be limited, so I wouldn't do it instead of the CT, but in addition to the CT. Given that you've had lung metastasis in the past and these spots found are new, it's probably likely to be cancer BUT you never know- it could be something else. Have you had pneumonia or other lung issues that could possibly have caused nodules in the lungs? Since they're too small to biopsy, at least get the PET scan done to check them that way. If they don't show up on the PET, it's not completely foolproof, but a good indicator. Has your blood CEA level been checked recently? Whether that tells you anything is also dependent upon if CEA is a good indicator for you- it has been for me, but apparently isn't for everyone.

    Best wishes to you-
    Take care,
    Lisa
  • mrslacsr
    mrslacsr Member Posts: 30
    #3
    lisa42 said:

    Hi, I'm sorry that you're on
    Hi, I'm sorry that you're on this board because of them finding more nodules in your lungs. but, welcome to the board, anyhow- it's a good place for both support and information!
    In additiont to the CT scan, I'd request a PET scan also be done. They can be limited, so I wouldn't do it instead of the CT, but in addition to the CT. Given that you've had lung metastasis in the past and these spots found are new, it's probably likely to be cancer BUT you never know- it could be something else. Have you had pneumonia or other lung issues that could possibly have caused nodules in the lungs? Since they're too small to biopsy, at least get the PET scan done to check them that way. If they don't show up on the PET, it's not completely foolproof, but a good indicator. Has your blood CEA level been checked recently? Whether that tells you anything is also dependent upon if CEA is a good indicator for you- it has been for me, but apparently isn't for everyone.

    Best wishes to you-
    Take care,
    Lisa

    metastisized cancer
    No i have asthma but no pneumonia or bronchitis. I have already ruled those out. Thanx, I will keep you informed.
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #4
    mrslacsr said:

    metastisized cancer
    No i have asthma but no pneumonia or bronchitis. I have already ruled those out. Thanx, I will keep you informed.

    metastisized cancer
    I am in a similar situation as you... my colon cancer metastacised to my lungs and I ended up with 7 nodules, of which 2 of them lit up the PET scan so we know those two are cancer. The other 5, measuring 5mm or under, did not light up the PET scan, but that just means they are not big enough for the PET scan to detect cancer activity yet or not. I was told, because my cancer had metastacised to my adrenal gland, and that we know two of the nodules on the lung are/were (I had one of them ablated, so it's gone) cancer, the chances are the others are too. There are two that have not changed size in the last 10 months, so there might be a chance these two are scar tissue from an earlier pneumonia.

    In my case, they are growing soooo slow, we are in a wait and see pattern. We are not going to attack them with chemo until we know what we are dealing with. If one or two of them do start to grow, then we may see about ablating them. Of course, if others show up, then we will probably have to look at going back on chemo.

    Each situation is different... but if they are growing quickly, then your oncologist may suggest putting you on chemo to shrink them, or stopping their growth.

    Please do keep us posted on what you find out... and welcome to the club, even though this is not a club that you really want to belong to :)

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl

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