lung nodules 19 years after breast ca diagnosis

ksdehn30

Hello- Long story.  My mom is a two time breast cancer survivor from 1989 (first primary-unilateral mastectomy and 1996( another primary on other breast-mastectomy.  She had chemo both times.  First time she was node negative second time she had one positive node.  NO problems since.  Recently she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer, had total hysterectomy and it was staged 1a....on her preop ct scan there were 5 lung nodules largest being 1.5cm.  She is having no shortness of breath or lung symptoms.  With the staging of the endometrial cancer her doctor said he has never seen it spread to the lungs with that low of a stage so they are concerned this could be a recurrence from breast after 19 years?!?!?!?  She had a ct guided lung biopsy which showed benign but pulmonoglist wants another sample as he doesn't believe it.  Ugh!  Any one else have lung biopsies and did they have trouble getting a diagnosis?  I am still hoping for benign and that this is just part of her.  I know it is rare but I have heard breast cancer can come back even after 19 years.  UGh!  

cinnamonsmile

I had a plum size tumor in my

I had a plum size tumor in my lower left lung back in 2013 I think it was. I didn't have a biopsy as it was too large to stay in my lung. The pulmonologist said by the CT scans that it looked benign, but when the cardiothoracic surgeon looked at it when he took it out, he thought for sure it was cancer. Turns out it was a mass of two non-cancerous lung conditions that grew out of control. The surgery,however, was extremely painful. It was called a wedge resection via thoracotomy, if I remember correctly.

I am hoping for your mom that her lung nodules are benign as well! I think it is good the pulmonologist is being thorough!

camul

cinnamonsmile said:

I had a plum size tumor in my

I had a plum size tumor in my lower left lung back in 2013 I think it was. I didn't have a biopsy as it was too large to stay in my lung. The pulmonologist said by the CT scans that it looked benign, but when the cardiothoracic surgeon looked at it when he took it out, he thought for sure it was cancer. Turns out it was a mass of two non-cancerous lung conditions that grew out of control. The surgery,however, was extremely painful. It was called a wedge resection via thoracotomy, if I remember correctly.

I am hoping for your mom that her lung nodules are benign as well! I think it is good the pulmonologist is being thorough!

Lung nodules

I have 3 lung nodules they gave me the oprtion of a biopsy but said it was another invasive procedure and i had just had bone marrow niopsies that showed breast cancer.  I opted to wait and watch.  There has been a slight change in one and that was in the first year.  No problems or growth.  The surgeon said the change was not enough t o worry about.  So, six years w/no issues.  

Wish your mom the best.

Carol

ksdehn30

Wow

thank you carol. Have you been on chemo during the last 6 years that kept the nodules at bay? Or do they assume benign?  I really appreciate your response. It gives me hope!!!  One more question. How large are the nodules?  Thank you!!!!

camul

I was on chemo

For 3 years, weekly, and after a bit Aromason.  I also had 8 rounds of radiation.  To my hips, pelvic, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, both thighs right knee.  All for the bones.  Which caused issues, I was also on her cep tin for 17 months.  I had lesions in my liver, it was when they found the liver lesions that we found the lung lesions.  The liver cleared completely.  The nodules were 2 that were 3mm, and 1 5mm. One of the 3 went to 4 mm.  The liver lesions cleared on the chemo, the soft tissue (under the skin, just like the lumps that were in my breast), cleared.  

The tumors to the bones, he never stopped growing.  Now the bone tumors are from my scalp all the way to the big toe on my right foot, along with neuropathy in my right leg from the knee to the toes.  The bone pain is awful, so we are now doing a pain pump this week.  This is for the bones.  I am strictly on palliative care at thus point.  Some doctors think I should be on hospice and have for 3 years since having clots, then pulmonary embolism to my left lung... I thought I was having a heart attack).  I changed oncologists following the clots as he said there was nothing more he could do for me.  The new onco at our cancer center decided on Aromason, for the first time, my tumor markers went from over 500 down to 24, and I stayed low for 3 months, then I went in and said the pain is back, can we ck the markers, at that point it was coming back up and has continued to rise ...  so now we have stopped treatments and are just working on managing the pain.  

I am out of options as far as stopping or slowing the growth. Yet I am still functioning, driving.  I have about 2 good days a week and I am blessed.  I started this journey in 2002, found the lump in Sept. Of 2001.  Actual dx was Jan 2002.   When it came back I was told 3 months w/o tx, and 6 months wi th,  that was 5 1/2 years ago.  

I keep settin g goals and fight to get there.  My body is tiring and the fight is getting harder, yet I still am not ready for hospice.

 

Gm2873

Breast cancer return

I had Stage I in 1994, adjuvant chemo and mastectomy. 20 years later, the cancer came back in the other breast. Only had one lymph node involved, but it had spread to bone. On herceptin and letrozole and NED at this time.

ksdehn30

Gm2873 said:

Breast cancer return

I had Stage I in 1994, adjuvant chemo and mastectomy. 20 years later, the cancer came back in the other breast. Only had one lymph node involved, but it had spread to bone. On herceptin and letrozole and NED at this time.

Thank you

thanks for your response and that is awesome you are Ned. Do the doctors think the bone mets was from first diagnosis in 1994 or your most recent breast cancer. I'm assuming they were considered two primaries as they were in separate breasts?  Hope's of Ned for many many years to come for you!!!!