Lung

Infected gallbladder removed.  Pathology revealed Stage 3 cancer. Liver where bladder was attached was treated with radiation. 5 months later a PET/CT body scan showed "no focal FDG uptake to suggest hypermetabolic malignancy" but it did show: "mildly FDG avid left lung base alveolar infiltrate". What does the latter mean?

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. This is suggestive of a distant spread of carcinoma since it’s the left lung base affected. All patients with tumors beyond the mucosa are candidates for external beam radiotherapy. there are reports of patients with curative resection and AJCC staging between T2-T4 who had complete resection who receive radiation have mean survival of about more than an year.  Chemotherapy may be required along with concurrent radiation therapy. Your oncologist is the best judge and you need to discuss your concerns with him. Hope this helps. Take care.