New and Afraid

tgp · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:11 am Post subject: New and Afraid

I just wanted to pop in and say hello. I don’t know where I am in all of this or if I am even in it. I had a yearly physical and a 6 mm round “spot” showed up on the chest x-ray. I went yesterday for a contrast CT and am just waiting to hear from that. Needless to say we are concerned. My wife is doing well but I can feel the fear she has.

I am 52 year old male, ex smoker, new runner and overall in good health. I had major surgery 2 years ago but doing great until this showed up Rolling Eyes

... Thanks for being here and allowing me to be a part.

tgp

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 1262

TGP,

Welcome and I hope the CT shows another reason for the spot than lung cancer. All of us here know the angst of having something suddenly show up in your lungs. My heart goes out to you while you await the test results. It's good that the doctor is pursuing this, because one spot can be handled IF it is lc.

My husband had the right idea -- he said that he didn't have lung cancer until they told him he had lung cancer. Helped get us through all the tests.

Hang in there -- it's a rough time. Most of the people here were pretty healthy too. Catching something during a yearly physical is a bonus.

Please let us know what the update is when you get the scan results. Remember that, until a biopsy is done, there will be no clear diagnosis. They may want to just wait and watch to see if the spot grows because it is small.

Best of luck,
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

tgp · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:22 am Post subject: Re: New and Afraid

[quote="pbj11"]TGP,

Welcome and I hope the CT shows another reason for the spot than lung cancer. All of us here know the angst of having something suddenly show up in your lungs. My heart goes out to you while you await the test results. It's good that the doctor is pursuing this, because one spot can be handled IF it is lc.

My husband had the right idea -- he said that he didn't have lung cancer until they told him he had lung cancer. Helped get us through all the tests.

Hang in there -- it's a rough time. Most of the people here were pretty healthy too. Catching something during a yearly physical is a bonus.

Please let us know what the update is when you get the scan results. Remember that, until a biopsy is done, there will be no clear diagnosis. They may want to just wait and watch to see if the spot grows because it is small.

Best of luck,
PBJ[/quote]

Thanks PBJ .... I was glad to here you use the word "small" ... I did not know if 6mm was samll, large etc. .... If my PCP takes a wait and see approach should I push for a biopsy? I agree that until that is done it is uncertain wht it is and delay could be bad.

TGP

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 1262

TGP,

(By the way, I love our three letter names! Very Happy

)

The primary tumor for my husband was about 3.5 cm x 5.? cm. How quickly I forget! That was the tip of the iceberg for him. He was loaded throughout both lungs and the mediastinum. I've seen people with tumors over 15 cm. It's still good that your doc is pursuing it, because this disease is nothing to play around with in the least.

If you want good, technical answers from a pro while you wait, may I suggest visiting Dr. West's website at CancerGRACE.org. He is an oncologist with a specialty in lung cancer. You can do a search for just about anything on his site or ask him a question directly in his forums. He's a huge blessing for the lung cancer community. This is in regard to the possible "watch and wait" scenario that they may propose.

Hope this helped give you some more avenues of research. Keeps the mind busy, but don't let it make you go off the deep end. It will be what it will be and worrying isn't going to change a thing. (I'm definitely of the "do as I say, not as I do" variety! Laughing

) Gotta keep a good sense of humor. That and God will be your salvation through this trying time.

Hugs to you AND YOUR WIFE,
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

tgp · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:44 am Post subject: Re: New and Afraid

PBJ ... again many thanks and thanks for the website. I also fall under the mind set of not to worry until you have something to worry about and even then it does no good .....but that is easy to say and hard to do....

thanks,
tgp

dano · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:03 pm Post subject: Re: New and Afraid

Hi TGP;
I had a doctor over 2 years prior to my cancer diagnosis notice a spot in my lung on a chest x-ray. That was later followed by a CT with contrast, then a Needle Biopsy, then several months later another CT with contrast. At the end of that no one knew what it was, but they said it wasn't cancer. 2 years later after a change of jobs, new insurance company and new doctors, I went in to see why I was coughing so much. This was not uncommon for me with sinus infections occasionally. I was sent to a pulmonologist who gave me drugs that didn't work, and ran me through tests, 5 months later and still coughing another chest x-ray and the doctors said not sure what it is, but it's not cancer. The reason they felt this was because I never smoked and my career as an electrician often have problems with Sarcoidosis of the lungs. They tried a CT with contrast with no answers and finally a Bronchoscopy to biopsy my lung. Later I got a call saying they still had no answers and will plan a surgery to get a bigger slice of my lung for biopsy. An hour later I got another call from the doc saying that he got back the results the pathologist and I was positive with Adenocarcinoma. The doctors all got locked on the odds, mean while the cancer grew. Now I have stage IV lung cancer with mets to the Lymph nodes and Brain.
So my feelings are get the best Biopsy you can as soon as you can, and if they are not sure, do it again until they know, or a Pet scan, it's expensive so the doctors wont go that way normally without proof first of cancer, but it will light up on any sizable cancer. Good luck to you and I hope you get your answers.
God Bless
Dan
_________________
54 year old male in Hawaii
Diagnosed Nov. 9,2007 with NSCLC IV
with Mets to the lymphs and brain
Had full brain radiation treatment in Jan 08
Currently on chemo treatments every 3 weeks
with Alimta
and taking Lovenox for blood clots
Now back to work full time
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=9993

hopeful · Regular Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 30

Hi TPG

I just wanted to post and let you know that I'm thinking about you and your wife. I know it is hard to not worry, but try to just get through this one minute at a time. There's lots of support on this site, really smart and caring people sharing information. I found a lot comfort on these pages. Hang in there.

brainman · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: New and Afraid

tpg, I am glad to see that your registration problems have been solved. I am sorry about your health concerns and will be playing with you that it is not cancer. Yes, you should push for a biopsy because that it the only way to know what those spots are. Having said that, doctors are pretty good at reading scans. More often than not, they are right even before a biopsy.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

UneasyRider · Regular Joined: 21 Aug 2008 Posts: 16

tgp,

pbj's suggestion of cancergrace.org is good. There is lots of information on early stage lung cancer there. But I think she's right: don't concede that it's cancer until an expert doctor is pretty sure of it.

Keep running. I am a cyclist, and being very fit will serve you well if you do end up fighting your way through hospital and doctor battles. You can read about my cancer in this thread: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=39609#39609.

Bud
_________________
57 year old male in Texas diagnosed with Stage II NSCLC in November, 2007
Treated with upper left lobectomy and 3 rounds of adjuvant chemotherapy
6 month CT scan shows lungs clear
My story is in this thread: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=39609#39609

tgp · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:36 am Post subject: Re: New and Afraid

It is not cancer ... in fact there is nothing there. It could have been a shadow from my heart valve surgery ... the CT was clear, thank God. Those here will be in my prayers....

karibrenmom · Regular Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Posts: 36

Glad to hear it!
_________________
My mom was diagnosed with NSCLC Squamous Carcinoma 10/23/2007. Wedge resection 11/20/2007. Final pathology showed poorly differiniated large cell carcinomawith invasion of visceral pluera, T2NxM0/stage 1B. 12/14/2007. No chemo elected.

dano · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:25 am Post subject: Re: New and Afraid

Good News! YEA!!!
_________________
54 year old male in Hawaii
Diagnosed Nov. 9,2007 with NSCLC IV
with Mets to the lymphs and brain
Had full brain radiation treatment in Jan 08
Currently on chemo treatments every 3 weeks
with Alimta
and taking Lovenox for blood clots
Now back to work full time
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=9993

maryaz · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:24 am Post subject: Re: New and Afraid

I agree that is Good News. Always like to hear good news. Take care.
_________________
Mary

Husband is 67 year old Male
NSCLC - Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Chemo and Radiation Treatments together
Allergic reactions to Taxol and Taxotere.
The Story: http://www.cancerforums.net/about9079.html

hopeful · Regular Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 30

Yea!!! So glad for you!!!

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Lung Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others