All Lung Nodule Experiences

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Utwo
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 10:14 am
Location: T.O.

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby Utwo » Sat Jan 13, 2018 5:24 pm

I have a few small new nodules on the last CT scan.
According to their interpretation they are of inflammation nature.
They recommended a follow up scan in 4 month.

Is this typical in a similar case to get referred to a pulmonologist?
I have not received such referral so far.
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

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susie0915
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Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby susie0915 » Sat Jan 13, 2018 6:50 pm

Utwo wrote:I have a few small new nodules on the last CT scan.
According to their interpretation they are of inflammation nature.
They recommended a follow up scan in 4 month.

Is this typical in a similar case to get referred to a pulmonologist?
I have not received such referral so far.

I have a pulmonologist because my first scan after finishing chemotherapy my lungs showed scarring and inflammation. Was not sure if it was caused by chemo or other reasons. Pulmonologist believes it is from an auto immune disorder and may have been made worse by chemo. Now I see her every 6 months to have breathing tests, and monitor the progress. She then referred me to a rheumatologist who monitors me for auto immune disorder. I have no other symptoms but I am being watched for scleroderma, lupus, sjogrens, and rheumatoid arthritis. All of these can cause interstitial lung disease which is what I have. So normally, just your oncologist would prob monitor nodules. My nodule didn't show up until one year after I was referred to the pulmonologist, so that is why she is kind of in charge of my lung issues.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

Zig2017
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:26 pm

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby Zig2017 » Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:31 pm

My husband has had several scans he has lung nodules too, but they felt it was an inflammatory process as opposed to any metastasis. It can happen, they haven’t changed and the guess is he had pneumonia a while back, or maybe from chemo? Dunno but the docs don’t seem concerned and he gets scans every couple of months. Hope this helps. I guess they can tell by looking at them what’s going on and if there’s more or they grow.
Hubby stage 3C June 2017
MSS BRAF Mutation
18 LN positive
Adenosquamous CC
12 FOLFOX
Right Hemicolectomy
11/08/17 numerous nodules and lymph nodes throughout chest and abdomen. Stage IV.
11/2017 moved care to Sloan clinical trial for BRAF mutation
1/30/18 off clinical trial
2/2/18 one dose of Irinotecan
2/5/18 Hospitalization and hospice
2/16/18 came home from hospital and went home to his Lord at 1:10 pm

MassMike
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2017 11:04 am

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby MassMike » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:05 am

Figured I'd give an update. Mom had her 6 month follow up scan and her nodules all either disappeared or shrunk! Wow! Follow up scan in 6-12 months. :D
Mom DX Stage 2/3 Rectal Cancer 8/17
Chemoradiation 9/17-11/17
Surgery w/Temp Colostomy 12/12/17
yP Stage T2N0 0/20 nodes
8 cycles folfox begun 1/15/18
Folfox finished 5/18
Reversal 8/18

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susie0915
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Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby susie0915 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:17 am

Good news!
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

James65
Posts: 383
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:41 am
Location: Exeter, NH
Contact:

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby James65 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:12 am

Hi,
I had a lung nodule in the up0per left lobe removed 1.5 years ago and then before Christmas they found a 4mm nodule that in the last scan was 2mm (really small) in the same lobe. So I am doing the follow up 3/20. I would like to hope that it turns out to be nothing, but not really sure that's reasonable. Anticipating some form of radiation ablation.

James
Diagnosed with stage III rectal tumor (though probably late stage II) January 2006.
Chemo/Radiation
Full APR Surgery
Folfox Chemo
So far NED.
Oops. Liver tumor diagnosed 10/13 after elevated CEA. Liver resection for 5cm tumor 12/6/13. So far so good.
Oops again, one tumor in each lung diagnosed 8/8/16. One too small to deal with and the other resected in late September. Wait and watch for now.
Oops, another lung Met in upper left lobe on edge of previous resection scar 11/11/19.

justin case
Posts: 4269
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby justin case » Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:45 pm

I have been a smoker for 49 years, I have a 4 mm nodule. It has been there throughout my cancer travel . It never picked up a hit on the Pet Scans, although it does show up on CT's. It also shows up on X-rays, so's I get the X-ray instead of CT's as it cost way less. There has been no new growth, in 4 years !
Michael
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012

jaybel
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 1:29 am
Location: California

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby jaybel » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:10 pm

HI susie0915 how often are you getting a full CT scan for the lung node? OR how many months apart are all your scans? I have a 2mm node that has been stable for a year. I had stage 1 T2, 0/27 nodes. 1 year colonoscopy was clean. So far its been 18 months since my surgery and I had CT before surgery, Ct 6 months, Ct at 1 year. I thought I would be able to go a year without a scan since my 2mm node hasn't changed and everything else is good. Stage one usually doesn't not have follow up with so many scans. Any one have a similar experience?

jaybel
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 1:29 am
Location: California

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby jaybel » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:19 pm

How often do they scan for a 2mm lung node if its been stable with no change after 1 year? I had stage 1 T2 O/27 nodes. Usually Stage 1 do not get full body scans every six months. My first year I had six month apart scans and now its the 18 month and she orders another. My last scan was September which was 6 months ago. Everything was stable and good. I would think I could get just the chest and then a full body next September ( 2 year) but she order a full scan now and then again in another six months 2 year. I am being teated like stage 2 not stage 1. Can anyone tell me their experiences with lung nodes and the frequency of scanning?

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susie0915
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Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby susie0915 » Fri Mar 09, 2018 8:44 am

jaybel wrote:HI susie0915 how often are you getting a full CT scan for the lung node? OR how many months apart are all your scans? I have a 2mm node that has been stable for a year. I had stage 1 T2, 0/27 nodes. 1 year colonoscopy was clean. So far its been 18 months since my surgery and I had CT before surgery, Ct 6 months, Ct at 1 year. I thought I would be able to go a year without a scan since my 2mm node hasn't changed and everything else is good. Stage one usually doesn't not have follow up with so many scans. Any one have a similar experience?

Once it was found on my one year ct scan, I had a repeat at 3 months of the chest. No change, then had another chest scan 6 months later. No change. Now my pulmonologist says she doesn't need another chest scan for one year. However, my oncologist will be ordering my regular scan when I see her in May, so I will probably have another in June which will be 6 months from my last chest scan. So long as the nodule hasn't changed and nothing else is found, I think I will have another scan either 6 months or one year later. I'm not sure. My last scan of pelvis/abdomen was in October, and my pulmonologist says my chest scans can now be done with my abdominal/pelvic scan. I think with tiny nodules like yours 1 year follow ups would be standard.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

Utwo
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 10:14 am
Location: T.O.

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby Utwo » Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:00 am

susie0915 wrote:Once it was found on my one year ct scan, I had a repeat at 3 months of the chest. No change, then had another chest scan 6 months later.
Susie, what kind of scans were your lung scans?

In my case they used low dose without contrast IV drugs scans for lungs.
What is a difference beween these two types of CT scans?
When do they use one or the othe type?
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

jaybel
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 1:29 am
Location: California

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby jaybel » Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:03 am

I am really confused on what to do. My doctor won't change the order to lung only and my GP thinks I don't need so many scans since I had stage 1 and my node had been stable for a year. I need a new oncologist to follow me. My 2mm node was on my lung when I was diagnosed so they found it on my first scan before my surgery. Six months later I had another scan and then again at the 1 year. So now its been 18 months and my oncologist ordered another full body scan. So far the node has been stable and there is nothing new. My CEA was normal to begin with and although its gone up over the last 18 months from .3-.9 its still within normal range. And I have had it checked at other labs and it went back to .5 so it depends on the lab. I think I should of had a lung scan at 6 months, full CT at 1 year and now at 18 months a lung CT and then a full one at the 2 year. I don't want to keep getting full scans every six months. My cancer was stage 1,T2, 0/27 nodes and the guidelines for followup is not a full scan every six months. Anyone have any a good oncologist in the Southern California? Thanks for any advice or help.

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susie0915
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Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby susie0915 » Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:53 am

Utwo wrote:
susie0915 wrote:Once it was found on my one year ct scan, I had a repeat at 3 months of the chest. No change, then had another chest scan 6 months later.
Susie, what kind of scans were your lung scans?

In my case they used low dose without contrast IV drugs scans for lungs.
What is a difference beween these two types of CT scans?
When do they use one or the othe type?

Yes. the chest scans were without contrast. Only my abdominal/pelvic scans have been with contrast.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

Utwo
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 10:14 am
Location: T.O.

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby Utwo » Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:55 pm

jaybel wrote:I am really confused on what to do. My doctor won't change the order to lung only and my GP thinks I don't need so many scans since I had stage 1 and my node had been stable for a year. I need a new oncologist to follow me. My 2mm node was on my lung when I was diagnosed so they found it on my first scan before my surgery. Six months later I had another scan and then again at the 1 year. So now its been 18 months and my oncologist ordered another full body scan. So far the node has been stable and there is nothing new. My CEA was normal to begin with and although its gone up over the last 18 months from .3-.9 its still within normal range. And I have had it checked at other labs and it went back to .5 so it depends on the lab. I think I should of had a lung scan at 6 months, full CT at 1 year and now at 18 months a lung CT and then a full one at the 2 year. I don't want to keep getting full scans every six months. My cancer was stage 1,T2, 0/27 nodes and the guidelines for followup is not a full scan every six months. Anyone have any a good oncologist in the Southern California? Thanks for any advice or help.
jaybel, the first principle of moderm medical ethics is "Patient's Autonomy".
According to this principle, it's up to you to accept or not to accept a doctor's recommendation.
Just tell your doctor that you are not comfortable with high dose full body scan every 6 month and ask to change the requisition to low dose lungs only.
Change your doctor if she refuses to accomodate your request (or ask your GP or surgeon instead of oncologist to order low dose scan).
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

jaybel
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 1:29 am
Location: California

Re: All Lung Nodule Experiences

Postby jaybel » Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:45 pm

Thats exactly what I am doing. I asked why the need for another full scan and she said no reason I do the same with everyone. I still might go ahead and get the scan but I just want a few other opinions before I go in for another full CT. It just makes it stressful when communication is poor between patient and doctor.


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