Dx'd w/ Stage IV BAC well differentiated adenocarcinoma, Aug 2010. Taking 150 mgs of Tarceva since Spet 2010. I have had a remarkable response to the Tarceva. CT's all show no sign of the BAC. To be perfectly honest I feel fantastic eevn with the pesky side effects that come and go. I just had a CT last week of brain, chest and abdomen and all came back clean. Blood work all normal. However a couple of findings caught my eye and perhaps someone can elaborate a bit more on them:
1. Several 5 mm and less pleural based regions of nodularity, proably focal atelectasis. Follow up recommended
What exaclty is focal atelectasis? Also mentions later in report subsegmental atelectasis with the above mentioned finding.
2. 9 mm groundglass opacity left medial upper lobe somewaht more prominent than previously, possible focal area of scar. Follow up is recommended.
What is focal area of scar?
It seems my onc was not overly concerned. Have another CT in 3 months. Onc did mention that if that CT comes back negative, I can move my appointments to every 4 months!
Thanks
Rene
Reply # - August 15, 2012, 12:29 PM
Reply To: Focal Atelectasis
Hello Rene and welcome to Grace. How good to know you are responding so well to tarceva. I hope you continue to do so.
The doctors who read your scans have your older scans with which to compare but don't have all the other information about your disease. So it may be that you onc reads something into it that the radiologist can't. But mostly there just isn't anything to know until they can compare it to what happens in the future. It's a darned difficult wait I know but it's great to know your doctor isn't all that worried.
Dr. West is our BAC specialist and will comment this evening.
Focal means limited to a small area or volume.
from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/atelectasis/DS01170
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Atelectasis (at-uh-LEK-tuh-sis) — a complete or partial collapse of a lung or lobe of a lung — develops when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated. It is one of the most common breathing (respiratory) complications after surgery. Atelectasis is also a possible complication of other respiratory problems, including cystic fibrosis, inhaled foreign objects, lung tumors, fluid in the lung, severe asthma and chest injuries.
The amount of lung tissue involved in atelectasis is variable, depending on the cause. Signs and symptoms of atelectasis also vary. Atelectasis can be serious because it reduces the amount of oxygen available to your body. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of the collapse.
so focal atelectasis are small areas of collapsed lung, yours being 5mm and less (very small)
focal area of scar are small areas of scar. Scar tissue is common when cancer has resolved and scar tissue is left and much better to have than cancer.
Mayo Clinic has a very good collection of definitions.
I hope this is helpful,
Janine
forum moderator
Reply # - August 15, 2012, 12:39 PM
Reply To: Focal Atelectasis
Hi Janine
Thanks so much for the quick response. Happy to have scar tissue. I already had some scarring due to a bout of double pneumonia and H1N1 in Jan 2010. My breathing has not been impacted by the atelectasis and since I have been feeling so good the CT report took me a bit by surprise. Anyway I am very good hands at MD Anderson in Orlando!
Rene
Reply # - August 15, 2012, 08:35 PM
Reply To: Focal Atelectasis
I really don't have anything to add to Janine's explanation. Atalectasis is just an area of the lung that isn't inflating completely. That's pretty common. And scar is pretty self-explanatory. We really look mostly at the stability vs. change in the scans as the key. Scan reports usually include descriptions of visualized findings that aren't clinically significant but can be scary to people who haven't learned what is pretty much minimize.
-Dr. West
Reply # - August 16, 2012, 10:03 AM
Reply To: Focal Atelectasis
Thanks so much Dr. West!