Newbie

[fairynuff]

Hi all, I tried to post earlier and lost it, the post that it, not my mind,so hope I make contact now. I am already a member of the UK based forum, Beating Bowel Cancer, but, very few have had the same experience as me, so I thought I would see what if any fellow sufferers, (thats probably the wrong word), accross the water have.
To start, I had left hemi colectomy in Novemeber 13.T4 n1. Finished chemo in July 14. Had Oxaliplatin iv and Capcetabine tablets. Back at work etc. When I had my first CT scan, back in October, a 4mm lung nodule was found, and was deemed insignificant, but, I was followed up with another CT just as I started chemo in January 14. There was another 5mm one there too! I was told this could be a spread, may not be, but I was referred to a surgeon at Guys Hospital. She was sharpening her scalpel, and ordered another CT in March 14. I had had two rounds of chemo by then. The CT showed barely visible dots where the nodules had been, and I was told they had both disappeared. The onc I had at the time said "I told you it may be nothing". The surgeon rang me and said also that they could have been anything as things come and go all the time in the lungs, and sometimes very quickly. It could have been inflammation from an infection or something that went with the steroids I was taking with the chemo.She did also say on the other hand it could have been a small spread that had an excellent response to the two rounds of chemo I had had.
In August, a month after chemo, the scan was the same, but the radiologist who looked at it this time said he did think the dots remaining were scars from the chemo on the nodules, which he thought must have been cancer. My GP says they have no way of knowing this and to remain positive,as the scan was deemed all clear again by my Onc. My Onc says that if the radiologist thinks it was a spread, it probably was, and it will probably pop up somewhere else. She also said there is a slim chance it wont return as it was a very small spread that went so quickly, and i suppose there is also a slim chance it was benign anyway and the radiologist was wrong! I am now having 3 monthly CT scans. Results of the next one due on 20th November. So Colon clubbers, has anyone had, or know of anyone who has had the same thing happen to them, and, if so, what happened?
Many thanks for listening. Love Angie

[elise]

Welcome!!

I had a thing in my liver from the time of my dx in 2012. They thought hemangioma. In the end, I did get a liver met in that spot (found by PET in 2014 when my CEA rose). Was it cancer all along or did the met grown over the "thingy", no one will ever know!

I'm sure lots of people with lung things will chime in. I think there is even a thread called something like "the lung thang gang". CB75 started it (I think!)
here it is: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48301&p=365204&hilit=thang+gang#p365204

Elise

[justin case]

I'm not a doctor of course, but there is a possibility that your further chemo did it's job. Also, I am currently being observed for lung nodules, and have learned that those type of things are found in almost all people to some extent. The radiologist just reports what was found, and it is up to the doctors to make decisions. Although an oncologists sees a lot of different things, their job is oncology. Perhaps you should see a doctor of pulmonology, to quell your suspicions?
By the way, I'm in the wait and see mode, and not overly concerned. Ct's every 3 months is all you can do at this point anyway.
Good luck,
Michael

[KWT]

If it were me I would focus on the great response you've had thus far. Perhaps a biopsie via vats is in order?

[NZJay]

Hi Angie. Welcome to the board, I hope it's as helpful to you as it has been for me.

I can't give any advice re; lung nodules. But I did have a spot on my peritoneum and liver appear during a mid-chemo CT. They were very suspicious of them but a follow-up PET revealed both had vanished. Just illustrating things can come and go.

Also I do note we are pretty much cancer twins - if you can excuse my morbid terminology! I was also T4 N1 and had surgery in November 2013, was given cape + oxi, though I finished in August as I had treatment delays.

Anyway best wishes, and I hope you get some peace of mind about the nodules.

J

[fairynuff]

Ah, thanks to the people who replied. I'm still stumped by the fact there are so few people with lung thingies as we call them! I thought id have loads of replies from people in the same boat. A big HELLO to my cancer twin . Lots of love to all. Angie x

[NZJay]

Perhaps if you make a thread referring to lung thingys in the title? This one may have snuck under the radar

[iitg.ritesh]

I had same thing as you and PET confirmed it was scar which comes and goes in lungs. Don't worry about those nodules.

[fairynuff]

Thank you. Yes, good idea re actually doing a lung thread. I agree the title could have been a distraction
I really appreciate the replies I've had. Thank you too for the last post telling me not to worry. Bless you. I'll stay on the board. Lots of love. Angie xx

[disco nap]

While I don't have lung things, I do have liver things. Two of them, around 1.5cm each. They have been declared benign - one a hemangioma and another is some "hyper plastic blah blahblah" ...One of the things sometimes doesn't show on scans at all. and then, there it is again.

But the point is we grow a lot of lumps and bumps inside us - even non-cancer patients - randomly, they come, they go, they grow, they shrink and often they are not cancer.


So, keep scanning to watch, you are doing all you can do.