8mm non-calcified in lower left against wall

[SusieQ2u]

During a vascular contrast CT on my lower extremities an 8mm spur shaped nodule was found in the extreme lower left lung.  The pulmonary doctor has ordered a PET scan next Tuesday, but has already said whatever this is should be removed.  He says that if it is malignant it could go from stage 1 to stage 4 quickly if it goes through the wall.  I am a 53 year old female ... up to a pack a day smoker for 30 years ... family history of cancers on both sides.  I understand I may be in the higher risk bracket but have never been severely ill.  I passed all pulmonary breathing tests.  Doc said biopsy would be high risk for puncturing the lung.  I believe this could be a histo ... mold ... etc.  I had a reaction to Tilex/ScrubFree clorine mix in 1986; my lungs filled in an hour and I was in hosp three days.  Now sensitive to lots of cleaners but no more issues.  I do live in the south in an old 1950's cypress home.  Is there no way of determining the real nodule issue without losing a pie shaped hunk of my lung?  Is it best to get this out .... I go back and forth in my mind.  Hopefully no more will be found on the PET.  I take no regular meds ... currently on Leviquin in the middle of an H-pilori treatment.


This discussion is related to Lung Nodules.

[Corvin]

Hi SusieQ2u,

This is a tuff decision, nodules are usually taken more serious when they get to 10mm and bigger and yours is still a little smaller than that. The majority of the time these nodules are benign and are left overs from infection or anything that causes an intense inflammatory response like you said allergic reaction to chemicals and are just monitored by a succession of CT scans. Although it's more typical to see multiple 1-6mm sized nodules in someone that has had severe infection or inflammation, so you just having the one bigger one does seem a little more suspicious, and you do have high risk factors.

That all being said what makes lung cancer so dangerous and lethal is most people don't have symptoms until it's already stage 3 or 4. Many peoples first noticeable symptom will be loosing their voice or coughing up blood and by that time there's no surgery that can help them.  

Hopefully the PET scan will be able to tell better what it's made of and sometimes they can use PET to guide a biopsy needle but he may be worried about hitting your aorta which could be pretty devastating, if they can't another alternative could be to do a surgical biopsy and leave the lung in tact, but if it did come back malignant you would end up having two surgeries. I've never had lung nodules or cancer myself personally maybe someone else who has can talk about their experience.

Take care

[Corvin]

Oh and they could do Broncoscope with lavage also just to rule out infection more, but if you don't have chronic cough/fever/elavated white count that would probably be unlikely.

[Corvin]

Another important thing I forgot is old damage to the lungs normally calcifies, so yours being non calcified is more suspicious also, or it would at least mean if it's from inflammation that is more recent.