Lung Mets are "Stable"?

[level]

My doctor's office just informed me that my lung mets are currently "stable". I haven't had a chance to speak with them in any detail yet and won't be able to do so for about a week. But I'm wondering. What does stable mean? I'm relatively sure that means they haven't changed in size. But is that a good thing? Or does that mean that treatment is ineffective?

I guess I'm so curious because honestly--I've never been convinced that the nodules on my lungs are actually mets. There are four of them all roughly 2.5 cm. One of which they said was initially 1.9 cm. But the reasons I find it hard to accept is because it was only identified in a scan of my abdomen and only got part of my chest. Additionally the biopsy they did came back negative. And many of my relatives have benign nodules on their lungs. But perhaps I'm naive, or hopeful. I just find it hard to believe that I can feel this healthy in between cycles, shouldn't I notice something physically? Shouldn't I have some mets elsewhere. They checked abdomen, liver, all that, twice in the last 10 months. As recently as last month and there was nothing aside from the tumor in the colon which was removed of course.

Can anyone share with me their understanding of stable? I guess if nothing is changing I want to know if everything is still "stable" a year from now, if I should be switching treatments or considering stopping? The past two chemo cycles 5FU, etc,etc have put me in the hospital with bad infections in my abdomen. And doctors don't really seem to have a solid plan for how to prevent that.

[susie0915]

I have a 4mm lung nodule that is being watched. My oncologist believes it's not cancerous. I had a repeat chest scan three months after it was initially seen and there was no change. It's too small to biopsy and a pet scan won't pick it up either. I was told cancerous nodules can double in size in 3-4 months. So I will have another scan 6 months from the last and if it stays stable for 2 years will be determined benign. So stable means they prob haven't changed which is a good thing.

[CRguy]

My doctor's office just informed me that my lung mets are currently "stable".

Hey homie .. take that as a WIN !

Seriously we kind of have a hierarchy here for results :
1. NED
2. shrinkage = from a prior scan
3. STABLE !!!!!! = from a prior scan
4. progression = from prior scan
5. new sites diagnosed = from a prior scan

We all take 1/2/3 as GOOD stuff
4/5 = need more docs and more treatments !

You've had other folks info here and just so YOU know ...
there are a whole lotta things which cause "lung shit" on scans and they are NOT all cancer mets
WORD !

keep getting info and keep us in the loop
BTDT

Harmony
CRguy