Howdy PINKS!

I would certainly ask the
I would certainly ask the question. but I dont know the answer. I know I would worry too. but I also know my worry is not always rooted in actually fact. I know lung surgery can be tricky. Just ask the questions until you get the answers that give you peace. They may monitor them and that may give you the answer if they dont grow. Also I was just thinking, how many docs dont like to give a lot of tests as little nodule thingies show up all over the place that are just fine. So my non answer is ask the questions, ask the risks of biopsing, ask for explanations of things you have been reading and worrying you. Get your info!

Arimidex Will Kill Them Off!
Mary,

Nodules in your lungs are to hard to access. That is what the hormonal therapy will do. Kill them dead!

My issues, the shortness of breath, the coughing spasms, loosing my voice when I began to talk, the pain in my ribs that I had since October, I believe have resolved. The ct scan in December showed it was time to start the AI (Femara) again.

No longer is anyone inquiring with great concern as I struggle to speak. No longer am t I putting a lidocaine patches on my chest where it hurts, shortness of breath and coughing spasms are greatly diminished.

This is because I have been on Femara (kissing cousin to Arimidex) long enough now to show improvement. I am willing to bet that my next scan will show most of the cancer gone.

I do expect to have a few of them still hanging around. They will be going to sleep dreaming of the days when estrogen was theirs to gobble up. They will be wondering what happen. I know the leader of the pack (tumor) will eventually remember that the instructions to deactivate Femara it knows. I am hoping that day is at least 6 months away. That is the amount of time another lady had on another forum. Maybe I will hit the jackpot and have more than that, maybe 8 months, maybe more!

Arimidex once you begin will take care of any cancer radiation didn't hit. Why would you want invasive surgery? When they did the VATS on me, they were not going in to hit a certain tumor, they just took the ones they hit first and I had a lots of them to pick off. Finding those nodes to remove I would imagine it to be very difficult. There is a lot between the outside and where they are located inside.

I doubt that you would find a thoracic surgeon who will remove nodules in the lungs. Especially when you really haven't started Arimidex. AI's takes about six weeks to kick in.

Have faith, dear friend that Arimidex will kill them off if radiation didn't already.

Best to you,

Doris

The unknown is all ways the
The unknown is all ways the worst.I don't know anything about nodules but I'm sure what you and your onc.decide it will be right for you.Yes cancer does suck.I would love a Margarita.Keep us posted on what you decide to do.

Hugs Frankie

MsGebby said:

Hey Doris
I think the reason
Hey Doris

I think the reason I am worried is because no one knows if they are from the breast cancer. How can a doctor know if they are hormone driven or not? If the Arimidex does nothing to kill them off, then what? This is my main concern. The thoracic surgeon actually wanted to get them out. He said they are semi solid and that's not good news. My MO said to me before I started rads to the breast, not the lungs, that it is up to me. She didn't want to it while I was doing rads.

Some of my worries have been triggered by another cancer death. A friend of mine had ovarian cancer 14 YEARS AGO and it came back in November. She passed this weekend. This is weighing heavy on my mind. I know bc is NOT ovarian cancer, but knowing how this cancer can metastasize makes me so nervous.

Doris, I am just plain scared.

I wish for you all the best care in the world. Hearing that you are in a bad way makes me cry. I hate having cancer and I hate that others suffer so much.

I just want to SCREAM!

Peace of Mind
Hi Mary,

My deepest sympathies about your friend. It is hard to watch another die from cancer. I didn't know ovarian cancer came back in the same manner as breast. My best friend died of ovarian 15 years ago. She was diagnose at stage IV and lived 3 years. I didn't think her oncologist was doing all he could for her.

Why not ask for another scan to see how those nodes are doing. It's been about 3 months or more since you had one.

A FNB might be an option as Carol suggested. I never had any luck with them and when my oncologist suggested it when I was dx in '08, I said never. I always had inconclusive, it was a shot in the dark.

For peace of mind, I would inquire what can be done.

Best,

Doris

MsGebby said:

Hey Doris
I think the reason
Hey Doris

I think the reason I am worried is because no one knows if they are from the breast cancer. How can a doctor know if they are hormone driven or not? If the Arimidex does nothing to kill them off, then what? This is my main concern. The thoracic surgeon actually wanted to get them out. He said they are semi solid and that's not good news. My MO said to me before I started rads to the breast, not the lungs, that it is up to me. She didn't want to it while I was doing rads.

Some of my worries have been triggered by another cancer death. A friend of mine had ovarian cancer 14 YEARS AGO and it came back in November. She passed this weekend. This is weighing heavy on my mind. I know bc is NOT ovarian cancer, but knowing how this cancer can metastasize makes me so nervous.

Doris, I am just plain scared.

I wish for you all the best care in the world. Hearing that you are in a bad way makes me cry. I hate having cancer and I hate that others suffer so much.

I just want to SCREAM!

My rads oncologist did not
My rads oncologist did not want me on any kind of hormone therapy while having rads. I wish you good luck and wish I knew something about this to help you.


Hugs, Noel