rayyates
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Hi GRACE,
What size of increase in tracheal lymph nodes would give you reason to be suspicious for metastatic lung cancer. Would we be talking about an increase in say 1 mm going from 10mm node to 11mm node in a year? Say for a squamous lung cancer. This seems quite small to measure on CT but important if this measurement was significant. I am still being watched but now thought it useful to have an understanding of when we might start to raise alarm bells. Thank you.
Forums
Reply # - May 27, 2017, 03:14 PM
Hi Ray,
Hi Ray,
I don't know that a definite amount or percentage of growth in an enlarged lymph node can be stated as a cutoff, but 1 mm of growth in a year is much slower than might be expected for lung cancer. In addition, a 1 mm difference in scans is not significant, since that's well within the variance you might expect from scans done even a day apart, due to different equipment or how the image slices "cut".
Finally, if nothing else has appeared on a subsequent scan, that's a good indication that it isn't cancer.
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - May 28, 2017, 02:16 AM
Hi, I found the article that
Hi, I found the article that sparked my question http://cancergrace.org/topic/enlarged-mediastinum-lymph-nodes-3-yrs-aft… . I have seen a number of posts about ct scans and slices, how different cuts may show a slightly different size. But the article in the link talks about 1 mm being potentially significant. Do you think it meant 1cm or is there a better form of imaging the nodes.
Thank you again for replying.
Reply # - May 28, 2017, 07:10 AM
Hi Ray,
Hi Ray,
In the referenced comment, Dr. West did mean millimeters, but what he referred to was a situation in which "growth has been steady and appreciable that it’s clinically significant (e.g., more than 1-2 mm/year, I’d say)" [emphasis added]. According to that standard, he would not find growth of 1 mm/year clinically significant and it would not be worthy of more than continued surveillance. Also, the GRACE member to whom he responded had a previous lung cancer diagnosis followed by surgery. The concern would be even less in the context of no previous diagnosis.
Best thoughts for continued good scan results.
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - May 28, 2017, 07:17 AM
So glad this site exists. I
So glad this site exists. I thank you for the clarification and thoughts for continued good scan results. I was being pessimistic and interpreting this in the wrong way. The emphasis you added has been very helpful.