Brief history- had thyroid cancer in my teens NED. Then in early 2012 diagnosed with the rare Inflammatory breast cancer 3b. Currently NED :)
Initial scan with my IBC diagnosis showed lung nodules in both lungs. Yes common and we took the protocol of wait, watch and scan approach before determining if it was part of the cancer. Initial sizes were a few 2- 4mm lung nodules. Now the current CT scan shows 5.3mm and a 7.1mm ground glass nodules. All left lung nodules disappeared with my remaining tx of herceptin that finished in April according to my scan in August.
All former ct impressions say lung nodules, this time it says ground glass. But it was noted there was growth with the larger one from the scan in December and to follow fleischner guidelines.
I did not get answer to my questions on why from my consult with my Pulmonary doc referred by my Oncologist. He just said we re-scan in three months. Too small to biopsy. Probably inflammation.
Is it even possible for a lung nodules to turn to ground glass? And if so is this a good thing? My friend wants me to get a second opinion since my mum passed away this year of NSCLC.
A bit confused,
Berryblue
Reply # - September 6, 2013, 12:18 PM
Reply To: Lung nodule now ground-glass nodule?
"Ground glass" is just a non-specific descriptive term for nodules, and they may be benign or possibly from the cancer, but you wouldn't presume that a few stray very slowly changing ground glass opacities (GGOs) are cancer in the absence of a biopsy that shows that. It will be important to see how they change with further time after completion of your Herceptin. If growing, it would make sense to biopsy one to clarify what it represents, but sub-centimeter ground-glass opacities (GGOs) are common benign findings that may come and go, so it makes sense to start by just seeing if they grow, remain stable, or just resolve with more follow-up.
Good luck.
-Dr. West
Reply # - September 10, 2013, 01:57 AM
Reply To: Lung nodule now ground-glass nodule?
Thank you for your reply Dr. West! Yes I am going to stay positive and hope that it means they are disappearing. Just some type scar tissue or inflammation.