5mm Nodule in lung

[nervous500]

While going to the Doctor for an unrelated matter, they did a chest X-ray and found a 5mm nodule.  The first xray was not very visible, they thought it was just overlapping clouds.  However, 2 days later the second one confirmed the 5mm nodule, but according to the radiologist it is bening.  Should I stll have a CT.  I am a smoker, 44 years old.  I gave up smoking the day I got this news.  I swear never to smoke again.  

I am very scared and cannot think of anything else.  I am on the internet all day reading and reading about this subject.  I am really driving my self nuts.

[kathleen555]

hiya !! im kathleen and im in your shoes as well..a 5mm non calcified nodule...docs say watch and wait! i am 43 and i quit smoking the day i found out ..i smoked for 25 years. you can email me at ***@**** if you like, and i can share the info i have gathered..i can tell you its can really tear up your nerves, but try to remember that until they say the words...you are ok. you were okay yesterday and today you will be ok. Many people have shared with me their strength, hope and experience and i have found some solace in this. Im in my 10th month of no growth ! if this nodule remains activity free for 2 years, the docs will declare it benign :) Please pray for me and KNOW i will pray for you as well.

Kathleen

[nervous500]

Hi, thanks for your response.  Did the radiologist ever say it looked benign?

[kathleen555]

no they have not said it was benign..((( kneejerk and jealous at your news)))..lol ...trying to keep a positive frame of mind !! The radiologist said hmmm...and walked away muttering something about we will watch this for 2 years ..lol i feel like alice in cancerland,,ive fallen down the rabbithole and cant seem to find my way out..hope you are having a good day

Kath

[kathleen555]

also ..i hope you did indeed follow up with a CT scan..my regular doc had me in a CT within one day of recieving nodule news...look at it this way ( he explained it to me)...in 6 months ..if they do have a problem..well..youll have a Chest CT for a baseline reading..if there is no change ..they will see that too..this doc has NEVER steered me in a wrong direction. Thats my advice..and googling all day made me insano ! please please take a break from it if you can... cause its so hard to hear the heartwrenching stories of cancer and courage..the 2 word are so intertwined. God Bless you and give you peace..

Kath

[Rych]

Hi
I understand what you are going through. I too quite smoking when they told me what it was. Kathleen is correct. You have to give yourself a break from reading all this online info about lung nodules or you'll go crazy. I did nothing for a week but read up on it and thought I was going to go crazy. Try to relax. Time is the only thing that will tell if there is an issue. You cant rush the answers because its a two year wait to know for sure if its benign or not. We've got to find a way to manage that time and make the best of it, what ever the outcome may be. Stressing out over it was only making things worse for me. Give yourself a break man and try not to think about it all the time. And more importantly - stay smoke free! As hard as it is, if I can do so can anyone.

[dcross2217]

Hi, I'm a 46 yo female, previous smoker for 31 yrs...I walked in innocently to finding out I that have a 5mm nodule in my rt lung when I went for a thoracic MRI for my spine. Surgeon said "good news is your my spine is fine, bad news is there is the 5mm nodule, you need a chest CT"...just had my CT today and do not know what that will say in comparison to the MRI...nor if my x-rays from last year will show anything...I stopped regularly smoking last year...now once in a great while, I'll have a couple here and there but not interested in it any longer...so it looks like you all are saying we have a two year waiting period to see if it gets bigger, with intervals of scans every few months or so? I'm hoping it is scar tissue from an old motorcycle accident injury to that lung from 12 years ago! Best of luck to everyone! Take it easy! DCross2217

[Booper44]

I am 63 and went for a scheduled doctor's appointment. The doctor sent me downstairs that same day to  get a CT scan of the stomach and etc.  A week later I had to go back to get help for an unwanted UTI.  At that visit she told me the result from my test the previous week and said "oh by the way, your CT scan accidently found a lung nodule.  You know about the large lung nodule you have on the lower left lung, right?" I said, "What? NO! What is a nodule?"  She said almost 80% of humans get those and they are mostly normal but have to be scanned every 3-6mos to be studied.  She sent me down again for another CT scan of the lungs.  The CT Scanner showed me this gray object.  Pretty big, shaped like a mushroom almost.  Don't know what it is suppose to look like but I don't want it in my lung.  The Scanner also told me about keeping a check on it for 6 mos until 2 yrs have passed, if nothing changes then after 2 years it is non cancerous.  If it grows or takes a different shape, the doctor will intervien.

[pncretired]

I am a 46 year old female in good health other than being a bit overweight. I quit smoking in 1999, prior to that I was a  "social smoker" for a total of about 6 years of my life meaning I was never a heavy duty all day every day smoker.

Jan16 in an basic physical xray a spot was noticed. Feb 6 repeat xray showed it still there. Feb 15 CT scan gave Dr a better look at the 2.5cm mass (size of a nickle). A PET scan Mar 3 scan revealed cellular activity (cancer) with no spread to any distant locations. My lobectomy is tomorrow morning.

Maybe because your nodules are so small they opt to wait. I do know that the only "cure" for lung cancer is to cut it out before it has spread to lymph or any other body location, If it spreads in the same lung that is trickier than just having the one spot.

If it were me, I would consider a second opinion, a PET scan, more info....the smaller the spot, the earlier the problem is identified, the better the prognosis. In my opinion......

Best wishes to all. I am not a nervous wreck but I would be lying if I said I wasn't anxious. Whatever you do, just don't "forget about it" because chances are it won't go away...............
All best, ~M

[Booper44]

~M is correct.  See a doctor for a scan.  My chest CT scan showed an 8mm nodule & hernia (new problem).  The nurse called and told me not to panic and commenced to tell me about the nodule.  "Almost 80% of humans have them.  She said because they had nothing to compare it to, I would be put on the 3-month recall list for another scan. (All my records are in another state--I sent letters after the call for copies to be sent). No matter the advice, I still am worried a little because I had an invasive cancer removed from my face last Oct. What a mess that was. I think all that cancer stress caused my hiatal hernia and not the spicy foods explanation. Take care and pray.  God knows best.