ct chest scan

Jeremy2323

Last week my oncologist informed me i had about a 3 mm spot on my lungs. He didnt say that much about it and i didnt ask the questions i should have. Do anyone have any comments or insight on this situation? Thanks to all!

Trubrit

Take notes and ask questions

I am terribly sorry to hear about the spots on your lungs. 

If you haven't done so already, I would suggest getting a nice little notebook, and every time you think of a question or concern, or feel a pain or a twinge, or basically anything that you feel or even don't feel is related to your treatment, your cancer, your emotions, wirte it down and talk it over with your Oncologist at your next appointment.

If there is something really worrying you, then give the Oncology office a call. Your Oncology nurse are (should be) wonderful, and if they can't help you, then they will refer your concern to your Onc. 

So, going back to those spots; they happen allot, and you will see people here who have them, and can give you great advice. But when push comes to shove, always talk to your Oncologist, and get him to answer all of your questions to your satisfaction.

Do you have someone who can go to appointments with you? It is such a huge help, especially with so much information coming your way. What you miss, another person can pick up on. I have been bleesed to have someone (my husband) at every appointment and every treatment. 

Good luck.

 

janderson1964

3mm is tiny. That is just on

3mm is tiny. That is just on the edge of the size limit a ct scan will pick up which is a good thing. I think you need to ask him wht the plan of attack is. Weather it is to wait and recan in a couple of months or possibly eradicating it through VATS (Video assisted thoracic surgery) or maybe SBRT (radiation).

annalexandria

Hi Jeremy, and welcome to the board!

As janderson said, that is a really tiny spot.  I guess what I would want to know is whether or not it is cancer.  Is there a previous CT scan on which this spot didn't show?  I've had many little things show up on PET scans (more sensitive that the CT) which ended up not being cancer. I don't know if this could also be the case with the CT.  

If it is possible that the CT can give false positives (seeing suspicious spots that are actually benign), then a "watch and wait" approach might be worth discussing with your doctor.  It's a little hard on the nerves, but it can help confirm the nature of the spot (if it grows, you know it's probably cancerous).  It also can reduce the number of interventions, if more spots get big enough to be seen.  Everything can be taken out at one time.

This approach worked well for me, but each case is different.  Just one more thing to discuss with your doctor.  Trubrit's notebook idea is a good one.

Sending some hugs and hope your way~Ann Alexandria

lauragb

Jeremy, I had a lung nodule

Jeremy, I had a lung nodule on my first scan that no one mentioned and I didn't pay attention to it on the scan report.  I also had a PET scan the same week which did not show uptake in the lung.   Anyway, I noticed mention of the nodule months later while reading over the report and sort of freaked out.  On my next scan, it was the same size 5mm, stable.

I then found out that there are actually two nodules and at this point they have remained stable for over two years.   So from what I understand, if they remain stable for two years, they are unlikely to be mets.  If they shrink while on chemo, then they might be mets.  Your spot is really small and I think it may be too small for a PET scan to pick it up if it is a met.  You may need to do a watch and wait scenario like I did.  It was nerve wracking but my oncologist did not seem too alarmed by it.   

But I think you should talk to your oncologist, air your concerns and see what the plan is for dealing with it.  Lung thingys that are not cancer are very common so it may be nothing.  Still, I think they warrant attention.

Hope you get the answers to all your questions.  It's a lot to take in, I know. 

Laura

Fucc

Lung nodes are tricky.  i had

Lung nodes are tricky.  i had a 2/3 mm node that was picked up on my second ct scan.  It was watched for about a year or so and my oncologist agreed that the node was likely nothing.  Then a whole bunch of nodes popped up in both my lungs.  I was told that when it is small, doesn't change and shows no activity it is likely nothing.  A lot of people have things in their lungs.  At 3 mm it is likley too small to biopsy and too small to tell what it really is on any scan.  The standard protocol is to watch and wait.  I know it's stressfull, I have been there.  Try to take it day by day.  I had ten nodes removed from my left lung, three of which turned out to be scar tissue....it could be anything.