Hello, thank you for being on the internet for those of us with questions.
I have a question about lung nodules. In 2012, I had a CT scan that found a 5mm nodule on my right lower lobe. I subsequently was laid off and so was unable to have a rescan but have just done this last month. I was notified that the new findings are: ‘Right lower lobe groundglass opacity nodule measuring 10 mm with
smaller right and left upper lobe nodules measuring 5 mm and 3 mm,
respectively.” I’ve just had a needle biopsy today and was told by the doctor that the FNA seemed to be inflammation type, although the pathologist would actually do the analysis. My pulmonologist scheduled the PET staging scan last week which will be done this week. My question is the likelihood of these nodules, one of which has doubled (not sure that’s right volume-wise, 5mm to 10mm) in size and two more appearing over 2 years, that this could be a cancer? I am a former smoker, for about 15 years but quit in 1990 – father died of lung cancer and I was exposed to second hand smoke throughout childhood. I am not asking for you to give me guarantee’s, just perhaps some general clarity as I am very worried – I am a 54 year old single woman. Thanks for any help you can provide.
nodules and probabilities - 1265386
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Reply # - August 12, 2014, 07:59 AM
Reply To: nodules and probabilities
I'm sorry about the uncertainty of your current situation. Because we're specialists in management of established cancers, not management of nodules of unclear significance, it's not possible for us to give you an estimate -- that's just not the work oncologists do. The doctor who is directing your workup would be in a far better position to do that, but in any case, the biopsy is really the overwhelmingly most important thing. Whether the risk is 5% or 50% or 95%, for any one person, it's either cancer or it isn't, and the biopsy is the way to determine this.
Good luck.
-Dr. West