Shoulder pain and lung cancer

[mgham12]

My mother developed a cough about 3 months ago.  She was not concerned because she felt it was allergies or nasal drip.  She feels a constant tickle in her throat.  In addition to the cough she was experiencing shoulder pain.  She thought the shoulder pain was brought on by walking her new fiesty puppy.  She finally went to dr who did chest xrays the xrays showed a spot on her right lung approximately 3 cm.  She had  CT scan yesterday?  The spot is on her right lung the pain is in her left shoulder.  Can the two  be realted to possible cancer.  Her cough is productive, since she was giving antibiotics and especially when she drinks water.  Clear mucus no blood, no wheezing, no shortness of breath.  she has loss of appetite, and weight loss, but she has been very stressed.  I know only test will tell us, but can this be something other than cancer.  So scared waiting for the results.

[Giveypup]

Yes, you did say that there was a spot in your mother's lung, and yes you can have pain in your shoulder, spine, etc. from lung cancer.  Did your mother have a PET scan, which shows uptake, which can implicate cancer?  I hope that your mother is being evaluated by a thoracic oncologist.  Better to be safe than sorry.

[mgham12]

I am confused you stated there is not mass on the lung,  as my comments states there is a 3 cm spot on the right lung, but the pain is in left arm

[HeinrikMD]

Hi,

Lung cancer does have a tendency to metastasize to bone. However, in this case, there is no mass in the lung at all, only something in the bone. It would be pretty unlikely for cancer in the lung to present in this manner.

The question would be if the finding in the bone appears malignant. If this was the case, it would likely have been discussed with you. An abnormal bone island or cyst is not cancer, but due to its presence, it may produce pain.

Discuss the nature of the shoulder finding with the doctor and make a plan as to what's next.

Stsy positive.