Weight loss

My mother 60 was operated for esophagus cancer 4 years ago.No Pre or Post chemo/Rad. She had been cancerfree since then. 1 year ago her CAT scan showed nodule in her right lungh. Biopsy revealed granuloma.she had 8 month medication for tubderculosis which reduced the nodule. She recenly lost some weight and her recent chest xray says:

Mild prominence broncho-vascular markings is noted.no focal lesion is seen in the lung parenchyma.

Curvilinear opacity is noted in the left basal zone posteriorly ? heriated loop.

Both costophrenic angels and both hemidiaphragms are normal

Cardiac size and silhoutte is normal.

Bones under view show osteophytic changes.

Please correlate with clinical findings.


What does this report mean?

[National Jewish]

The chest x-ray interpretation means that there is no evidence of esophageal cancer recurrence in the chest.  Recurrence when it occurs commonly involves lymph nodes and other adjacent structures.  Your mother's doctor should investigate her weight loss, assuming it was not a choice on her part.  If it continues and no cause is discovered, it would be appropriate for her to undergo esophagoscopy and/or a CT scan of the chest.

Good luck.