Lung Biopsy

Hello Kazsmiles.

I have not had a lung biopsy but I do have a nodule in my lung that is being watched through my yearly scans of the H&N area and the chest. I believe there is a small nodule on my liver that is being observed also and no plans to do anything unless they start to grow.

I would say with your husband's cancer history he is wise to go ahead with the biopsy but there is also the option that my doctors are using, yearly CT Scans with contrast to watch for any growth increase of the nodules then consider treatment.

My sister had a nodule in her lung and it was monitored for quite a few years until it started growing then they decided to treat it. They used the Cyber-Knife which applied a small number of radiation treatments and it was eradicated.

I did find some information for you though and a video explaining about the 4 different types of lung biopsies performed. I would imagine your husband would most likely have the needle biopsy.

Needle lung biopsy

A needle biopsy is performed under local anesthetic, so the patient is awake but comfortable during the procedure. The procedure should take about 30 to 45 minutes and is not painful, although patients may feel some pressure when the needle is inserted.May 23, 2023

Lung Biopsy explanations and video...

https://www.ypo.education/general/lung-biopsy-t666/video/

Wishing You The Best

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

Very well Kazsmiles I am so glad you are finding help here and it helps you know what to expect to happen. Many times when we take the unknown away and get the knowledge we need it is much easier to handle. I understand you when you say it has been a tough 8 months through my own experiences and others on this forum what they went through is hard to imagine. But the amazing thing is when we are faced with tough times we find strength, perseverance, stamina, and power to get through the tough times and surprise ourselves because we do things we never thought we could. It also drives us to prayer and brings us closer to God.

I keep forgetting to search this site so I did a search on lung biopsies and there are plenty of results if you want to look through them. First is links to several posts I picked out...

#1 https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/281236/lung-biopsy-negative

#2 https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/225632/lung-biopsy-yesterday

#3 https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/291616/lung-biopsy-results

And lastly here is the link to the search itself...

I am Wishing You The Best and praying and hoping your husbands biopsies turn out negative and you have no more concerns and can put this behind you.

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

This is the type of situation where I feel the NavDX blood test might shine. I had been declared NED post one-year post-treatment through both physical examination and scans; however, that pesky NavDx number kept creeping up. Turns out I too had a met in a rib bone that wasn't waving a red flag on scans. My met was also treated with 5 sessions of sbrt (every other day for week and a half - piece of cake compared to previous treatment).

So, if there is a spot and it doctors are not able to determine for sure... I'd request a NavDX and see what those results are.

The sequence went like this: on 6-month post-treatment follow-up and NavDX, my ENT and Onc (with a CT w/ contrast) declared me NED. The 6-month post treatment NavDX was also "negative". At this point, everything was looking really good. 9 month check up.. nothing new, NED (no scans done). 12-month post treatment.. ENT declares "unofficially" one-year NED (based on scope and physical exam) pending results of NavDX. ENT tells me he now can stretch me out to 4-month check-ups vs every 3 months. So far, so good. Two weeks later, the NavDX score comes back "positive" with a score of "8" on Jan 4 this year. This triggered more scans. CT w/ contrast of head/neck/soft tissue and upper chest. Results of those scans are "negative". Ordered another NavDX on Jan 24th for back-up.. that score came back "positive" at "74". The number is climbing. That triggered a PET scan. the results of the PET scan were a hot spot on the rib bone. When the ONC pointed to the spot, I mentioned that I had a pain there for a long time (as in... prior to any diagnosis and initial surgery/treatment). The Onc went back and reviewed the original pre-surgery PET and noticed a small "hot spot" there as well. Meaning, that rib met was there the whole time... everyone had just missed it (the original PET scan was poor quality resolution). The explanation for the first "negative" NavDX score was that the chemo must have knocked it down enough to almost get rid of it... but not 100%. After that time, it started growing again.

Lessons learned: getting an "all clear" on scans and physical exam is not 100%. Getting a "negative" on a NavDX is not 100%. But, using all the tools at their disposal can help to catch something that might have been missed. Had I not had a NavDX done in Jan, I would be on a 4-month re-visit schedule. At that time, would anyone be looking for a hot spot on my rib bone? Who knows. All those doctors knew is that there was something there... they just had to find it.

LuvnTN, thanks for the detailed explanation.

It shows how sometimes and many times something can be missed.

No one or system is perfect.

I think it is great that you got the NavDX test and I believe your story proves it's worth in cancer detection and I believe saved you from a more extensive cancer in the future.

Wishing you NED and all clear scans ahead.

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

I had a lung biopsy when the ct scan on my throat showed up something. They put me to sleep and did a needle biopsy. I don't remember any side effects other than being groggy. Test showed negative for cancer, bou nodules were likely asbestos. no treatment for lungs recommended

LuvnTN, it just goes to show it's always something.

If it ain't this it's that and if it ain't that it's this.

Wishing You The Best

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

Kaz, so sorry your husband had a lung collapse but glad he was in the hospital and they got everything resolved with it. It seems a scary thing to have a collapsed lung.

Kaz I remember when your post was started you said "His oncologist feels it is most likely inflammation(hoping so), she wanted to have him wait and do a CT scan in 2 months."

You know sometimes it is just better to wait no matter how quickly or badly we want to resolve something right now. And the waiting is the hardest part. Which reminds me of a song and we will have to get in the Wayback Machine for this one all the way back to 1981 is when it came out...

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - The Waiting (Live Aid 1985)

It appears his oncologist was right and his NavDX test is negative and 3 out of 4 slides from the biopsy came back as inflammation. And one slide showed positive for P40(SCC).

So you have the oncologist's original recommendation of waiting 2 months to get a CT Scan and it turned out with the biopsy that he was mostly correct except for the fourth questionable slide, and his NavDX test is negative, you can't get much better than that and if that's negative it leads me to believe the questionable slide is probably not cancer or it would have showed in the NavDX test but they will be keeping a watch and scans on it. I would count my Blessings that his NavDX test is negative, his biopsy slides came back virtually negative, mostly indicating inflammation, he got a chest tube but has recovered from that, and I would count your Blessings that you have a very good oncologist that knows what he is doing and is worth listening to. I think the risks of another collapsed lung or some other effect here outweigh the benefits of another biopsy right away. Looks to me like the docs got you covered and are keeping a close watch on your husband.

Count your Blessings

I would personally wait and do the scans. I have a nodule on my lung, have had it for a while and they are keeping watch on it with yearly scans. I also have a small nodule on my liver also. I think these are fairly common especially as we age. My sister also had one on her lung and they watched it for a number of years with scans every 6 months until finally, it started to grow so then they acted on it and it was easily treated with radiation using the CyberKnife. I think it was 5 treatments or a little more and it was gone.

The choice and decision in this situation is totally and wholly up to your husband and you but that is my 2 cents...

If I am incorrect on the facts you have presented let me know but I think I got your story down alright.

Wishing You The Best

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

I am confident you are making the right decision and it is only 2 months till his next scan so it's not a big time gap.

The anxiety of scans, yes it is not fun and on here we call it "Scanxiety."

I looked up melanoma of the abdomen and from what I find your husband definitely went through quite a time and his situation was very serious. The fact that you say 5 long years tells me you bo0th have had suffering with the situation of this evil disease but have kept on fighting and have come out stronger.

Yes, I agree cancer is difficult and it looks like you have learned to live with all the troubles and trials that come with it and you folks are able to see the positive in it. It is good he is still with us after going through great difficulties and I like your outlook that he is Blessed because there are others who were not so Blessed and you are thankful for it.

It can be and is a wake-up call for many people.

I have a few quotes to share from Ken Curtis one of America’s most talented Christian moviemakers.

Ken Curtis

Many people who get diagnosed with advanced cancer surprisingly, actually come to say, cancer is the best thing that ever happened to me. They call it their wake up call and they say that the blessings far outweigh the pain. I can personally say that the three and a half years since I got my diagnosis have been good years. And I have to say even in some ways my best years, because I savor each day so much more. I treasure family and friends I used to take for granted. And it’s good not to have to prove anything to anyone. Right now all I need to do is discern, what does God want me to do and then do it joyfully.

I know a young man who cancer has severely limited his life, but he refuses to despair. He puts it this way. My glass is not half empty, it’s half full, and it’s not only half full it tastes great.

Ken Curtis

After fighting cancer for over eight years, Ken says, “I have been privileged to live an unusually full life. I have had extraordinary blessings, travels, opportunities, ministries, freedom, and honors, so in all honesty I do not feel like I can in good conscience ask for more. I am content to leave it in God’s hands. I am a servant of a faithful master whom I trust more than I trust myself. Surely goodness and mercy have followed me and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Ken Curtis Quotes

One day I woke up dreaming about going back to the time before I had cancer.

And then I realized I did not have to give cancer more than it’s due.

Because cancer’s like a wicked thief that broke into my house to find money,

jewelry, and other valuables.

But that thief misses so much.

My books, my pictures, my written journals in which I preserve cherished reflections,

these the thief leaves untouched.

They’re some of the most precious valuables.

And I came to realize that there are things in life that cancer simply cannot reach.

Maybe it can ravage the body, but it has no claim on the soul.

Wishing You the Best

Take care, God Bless

Russ