Could this be lung cancer?

[Jenzo1968]

My Mother was diagnosed asthmatic over twelve months ago and has not yet been referred to a chest physician despite my concerns.  I have insisted that my Mother be prescribed a preventative Inhaler as she was only prescribed a reliever on it's own up until a few months ago.

Over the past six months my Mother has had a persistant cough and a couple of chest infections. She has not had any Haemoptysis, but her cough does produce clear saliva at times.  Occasionally her cough is dry and non-productive.  She has been treated with Amoxicillin on both occasions with no effect.been treated with Amoxicillin on both occasions with no effect.  

After her having several visits to the GP and with my persistent concerns my Mother was prescribed a dose of Prednisolone, 40mg for 5 days.  My Mother responded really well to the prednisolone and has not coughed since she has completed the course last Friday (7th November 2008).  The only draw-back to the Prednisolone has been that she has experienced steroid induced diabetes which has now reverted.  She has also continued with her inhalers and feels more relief from them now.  

Prior to commencing on the prednisolone my Mother was sent for a much needed Chest X Ray.  My Mother is 67 years old and is a non-smoker and has never smoked in her life.

My  Mother has just been called down to see her GP today in London for her Chest Xray results.  The GP gave her some worrying news which has left us all in floods of tears.  Her Chest Xray shows a 25mm mass in the right mid zone of the lung.  The mass does not demonstrate calcification or cavitation.  There is also no detection of pleurral effusions.  They have recommended urgent referral to a chest physician.  The results paper advised that this patient could potentially have cancer.  The GP took a series of bloods and they have been sent away as urgent.  I would presume that they have taken the usual routine bloods, ESR; U&E's, FBC; LFT's; Calcium; Glucose etc.

I have just lost a friend with lung cancer and she did not smoke and had never smoked, but her Father was a heavy smoker.  She was symptomatic with this and experienced shoulder pain; night sweats; a dry cough; a change in her voice and severe weight loss.

My Mother has not experienced any of the above symptoms apart from the cough.  From the above I just needed to ask you if the fact that there is no "calcification" means that there is a lower risk of cancer.  I am living in hope that this mass is more indicative of asthmatic changes or even scarring rather than lung cancer.  My Mother has never spent time around smokers and has never even ventured into pubs or bars in her life.

I am on leave until the middle of next week so I am unable to ask my Chest Physicians at work.

Please can you give me some much needed urgent advice and some reassurance.  Your help and advice would be much appreciated.  I am going out of my mind with worry!!!


Kindest Regards

  

[Jenzo1968]

Dear Khirodh,

Thanks for your continous support.

My Mother sees the Chest Physician next Tuesday morning, so we should have some more answers then.  I am sure that he will order more tests such as a bronchoscopy.  She is still asymptomatic, with no further coughing since the prednisolone, or any of the above indicators as mentioned in my past correspondences.  She says she feels much better at the moment.

It has been a very stressful time for all of us.  Thanks again for your support and for keeping your fingers crossed for us.

Warm Regards,
Jenzo1968

[Khirodh]

Hi there,
Well for asthma and allergies prednisone helps. But in other conditions Prednisone is a steroid and just suppresses the inflammatory process thus giving the feeling of relief from symptoms while not directly treating the condition. Well as I said lets keep our fingers crossed.

Regards,
Khirodh

[Jenzo1968]

Hello there,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my letter.

My Mother has no evidence of swelling in her axillae, no weight loss, no night sweats and no haemoptysis.  She has no symptoms at all.  The only problem she had was this irritating cough.  And after completeing the stat dose of Prednisolone she has not coughed once.  She is feeling so much better.  My mother has a history of allergies and sinus problems which she has had washed out on several problems.  She takes steroid based nasal sprays for this.

I appreciate that they have to be cautious and that they have to investigate things further, but my experience of nursing people with various types of cancer including lung cancer leads me to thinking that maybe there is another cause for this mass as you suggested as opposed to the worst case scenario.  I am still living in hope.

Thanks again.


Kindest Regards

[Khirodh]

Hi there.
The Chest X-ray findings are highly suggestive of lung cancer, although it is very early to comment on. I think you should wait for the blood tests results which may point towards or to other diagnosis like pulmonary eosinophilia. It is highly unlikely that the mass in the x-ray may be due to scarring. Is there any swelling in the body especially the axillae? As she does not have a history of weight loss or haemoptysis – it may not be cancerous at all. I suggest that you wait for the test results and visit the chest physician rather than jump to conclusions.

Regards,
Khirodh