Lung biopsy result

Magayon
Magayon Member Posts: 16
in Kidney Cancer #1

The biopsy result is inconclusive. Is that good or bad? My oncologist suggested CT follow up in 3 to 6 months and a referral to a pulmonary surgeon for an opinion. Right now I'm still in limbo.

Comments

  • ImNotDeadYet
    ImNotDeadYet Member Posts: 244
    #2
    Not necessarily good or bad

    How big is the mass they were biopsying? If it's small, sometimes it's hard to get a clear reading, and they have to wait for it to get a little bigger. The waiting for a confirmed dx either way can be maddening - dealing with something similar right now. I'd try to get closer to three, rather than six, if you can. If nothing else, it might help with  your peace of mind. Good luck!

  • Magayon
    Magayon Member Posts: 16
    #3
    ImNotDeadYet said:

    Not necessarily good or bad

    How big is the mass they were biopsying? If it's small, sometimes it's hard to get a clear reading, and they have to wait for it to get a little bigger. The waiting for a confirmed dx either way can be maddening - dealing with something similar right now. I'd try to get closer to three, rather than six, if you can. If nothing else, it might help with  your peace of mind. Good luck!

    It's a 20mm ground glass

    It's a 20mm ground glass nodule.

  • ImNotDeadYet
    ImNotDeadYet Member Posts: 244
    #4
    Magayon said:

    It's a 20mm ground glass

    It's a 20mm ground glass nodule.

    Small, but not insignificant

    I'd definitely shoot for the CT in 3 months if you can. Those lung bioipsies can be tricky - or so I've learned through my own experience recently. Hopefully the CT will shed more light. In the meantime, do your best to take care of yourself, and try not to obsess too much. (Says the guy who obsesses too much...) 

  • Magayon
    Magayon Member Posts: 16
    edited October 2017 #5
    PET scan results

    Since my biopsy was inconclusive I had PET scan and a referral to a thoracic surgeon. The PET scan showed a "could be metastatic disease or primary malignancy." The thoracic surgeon said that since there is a presence of rare atypical cells in the biopsy he is concerned about malignancy. He suggested either repeating the biopsy or VATS to remove the nodules and resect my lung. What do you all think? I'm still recovering from my nephrectomy ( 2 months ). I would like a sure answer of what it is. If it's cancer, at least it will be removed but what if  it isn't?

    Magayon

  • hardo718
    hardo718 Member Posts: 853 Member
    #6
    My opinion...

    ....if it were me, I think I'd move forward with having it removed.  But again, that's just me.  I hear the "C" word and go into hyper-vigilance I guess.  The only example of an analogy I can give you is with mole removal.  I've had a few of those done too over the years, if they look suspicious and the Dr. is concerned and suggests removal I go with having it removed.  Luckily, each one has come back negative.  But I don't go back and say to myself, shoot, maybe I should have left it there to fester into something, instead I'm glad it's gone and thankful for the negative result.  I know that's a lot more superficial that lung surgery, but at least repeat the biopsy.  And by the way, you can request the pathologist be present during the follow-up procedure so you can get results during the process and they are sure to get a specimen that gives a definitive result.  I did that with a thyroid nodule biopsy a few years back.

    Best wishes and keep us posted.

    Donna~

  • Hd67xlch
    Hd67xlch Member Posts: 151 Member
    #7
    opinion.....

    Read my profile Ive had them removed from both lungs, me personally Id get them out as fast as possible, and believe it or not the lung surgeries I had were pretty easy to recover from I was back at work both times in 2 weeks, 5 days in the hospital and 10 days recovery at home and I had open surgeries not vats, good luck.

  • Magayon
    Magayon Member Posts: 16
    #8
    Hd67xlch said:

    opinion.....

    Read my profile Ive had them removed from both lungs, me personally Id get them out as fast as possible, and believe it or not the lung surgeries I had were pretty easy to recover from I was back at work both times in 2 weeks, 5 days in the hospital and 10 days recovery at home and I had open surgeries not vats, good luck.

    Thanks for the input. I'm

    Thanks for the input. I'm leaning on having it removed because of the word "malignant " in the PET scan even if it wasn't a definite diagn.My thoracic surgeon will talk to my medical oncologist early this week and have my VATS scheduled soon.

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    edited October 2017 #9
    If you have been in otherwise

    good health, get it done. If you are 300lbs with diabetes, well that's a different story.

    A good therapist  I know says that if you are going to be down for a while anyway, kill 2 birds with 1 stone. If I were in your shoes I would even fight with my doctors to make sure they would do the procedure.

  • Magayon
    Magayon Member Posts: 16
    #10
    VATS to remove lung nodule

    I'm scheduled to have my lung nodule removed from my right lower lobe on Nov 14. My pulmonary function tests were good. Right now I'm just waiting and praying to accept whatever the result is. There's always treatment.

    I'm still not fully recovered from my radical nephrectomy. I still have numbness and tingling or needle prick sensation from all the nerves that had been cut.

     

  • Hd67xlch
    Hd67xlch Member Posts: 151 Member
    #11
    JMO.........

    or experiences, but I found both open lung surgeries easier/quicker to recover from than the kidney removal surgery. It pretty much goes like this.

    1. get doped up

    2. get operated on, should be easier to recover since your having vats rather than open, but dont be surprised if they switch over during the surgery, happened to me

    3. wake up in cardiac ICU, spend anywhere from a few hours to a day there, then moved to the cardio floor with a private room

    4. days 2-3 lay around watching tv, and walk around the cardio floor carrying your chest tube drain box, and doing the breathing exercises

    5. day 3-4 they take the chest tube out,and no it doesnt hurt when they do that, after that its all gravy

    6. day 5 go home and take it easy at home for 10 days or so and you"ll be good to go, really wasnt very painfull, I never took prescription  pain pill after leaving the hospital.

    You will be fine, good luck

  • Magayon
    Magayon Member Posts: 16
    edited October 2017 #12
    Hd67xlch said:

    JMO.........

    or experiences, but I found both open lung surgeries easier/quicker to recover from than the kidney removal surgery. It pretty much goes like this.

    1. get doped up

    2. get operated on, should be easier to recover since your having vats rather than open, but dont be surprised if they switch over during the surgery, happened to me

    3. wake up in cardiac ICU, spend anywhere from a few hours to a day there, then moved to the cardio floor with a private room

    4. days 2-3 lay around watching tv, and walk around the cardio floor carrying your chest tube drain box, and doing the breathing exercises

    5. day 3-4 they take the chest tube out,and no it doesnt hurt when they do that, after that its all gravy

    6. day 5 go home and take it easy at home for 10 days or so and you"ll be good to go, really wasnt very painfull, I never took prescription  pain pill after leaving the hospital.

    You will be fine, good luck

    Thanks. I'm just worried

    Thanks. I'm just worried about lugging the chest tube around with me. 

  • Hd67xlch
    Hd67xlch Member Posts: 151 Member
    edited October 2017 #13
    Magayon said:

    Thanks. I'm just worried

    Thanks. I'm just worried about lugging the chest tube around with me. 

    Its smaller

    than the size of a regular size box of cereal, and its light weight plastic, nothing to it.

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