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lung nodule

2 years ago my doctor found calcified and non calcified lung nodules in my left
lung. There were also calcified lymph nodes. The calcified nodules were 5mm or less in size and the non calcified nodules were even smaller. He told me he didn't think it was lung cancer but to repeat ct scans for 2 years. I also had a pet scan which came back clean. They said the pet scan indicated no cancer. Recently I had another ct scan and it showed the small non calcified nodules are gone. The calcified nodules appear to be the same size and stable. I have several calcified lymph nodes but my doctor advised it was nothing to worry about. The calcified lymph nodes were 1cm or smaller in size. He advised that I no longer need to have ct scans done since everything appears stable and some of the nodules have disappeared. He advised the cancer does not just go away.  I have been have a chest ache and an ache in the middle of my back for the past 6 months. This ache is constant and test have not revealed what it is. I asked my doctor if it was related to the chest nodules and he advsied it was not related and that I needed to stop worring about the nodules. That is easy for him to say, but hard for me to do. Could I please get an opinion on what I should do next or should I just trust what my doctor is telling me. He sent me to a pulmonologists who told me not to worry about the spots because they were calcified. I was wondering about the calcified lymph nodes and why they would be that way. Nobody really has answererd that question for me.

Thanks
Chris
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Avatar universal
Hi,
That is great news. Do continue regular check ups with your doctor. Ask him for the tests to rule out tuberculosis on your next visit. Goodluck.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the fast response. I did have a PET scan and it came back normal-no indication of cancer anywhere.  I have not had tuberculosis on fungal infections tests yet. My doctor did not want to do any other tests. He told that he has ruled out cancer and there was no need to go any further. I guess the reason for my concern with lung cancer is because my mother and a sister died from cancer (not lung cancer). Currently two of my sisters are battling cancer (lung and breast) and I have two brothers and another sister that had cancer in the past but are survivors.  I does tend to raise your anxiety when they find something during an exam. I will take your advise try not to think about it.  

Again, thanks for your help. This is a great forum.

I really appreaciate your fast response and I will
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Avatar universal
Hi,
What you describe does not look like lung cancer. You need to calm down foremost and get rid of the anxiety. It could be aggravating all your symptoms if not causing it. Next you could ask your doctor to schedule you for a PET scan to be absolutely sure that the nodes are benign or malignant. Ask him for the blood tests like IgE and IgG levels for the specific fungal infection he suspecting and also a skin test to rule out aspergillus. Have you got any tests to rule out tuberculosis? Goodluck.
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Avatar universal
The lymph nodes are at the aortic arch, left hilum and AP window. There was also a calcified granuloma of 7mm in the left upper lobe of the left lung. This was noted in each ct scan and has not changed. I also had a few hyperplastic lymph nodes in the posterior triangles adjacent to the internal jugular veins. The largest of these hyperplastic nodes was 1cm in greatests diameter.  I am 45 years old, never have smoked, no symptoms other than chest pains. I live in Illinois and my doctor told me he has seen this in many patients of his because of histoplasmosis. I was not too secure with that response. He seems not too concerned and told me to stop worrying. The pain in my chest are in the left hand side of my breast bone and feels like it radiates to my left lung. I feel like I need to cough something up out of my lung. I don't have a cough only the ache.I do not have hearburn but I do take prevacid for gastric reflux. The pain also goes up the left side of my neck and into my left ear. It feels like my lymph nodes are pushing on the side of my throat. He told me the lymph nodes were not causing the pain but couldn't tell me what was. He did send me to an ENT and she did several tests (scope down my nose and throat and ct with dye of my neck and chest). She couldn't find what was wrong either. She did say I have a Mucus retention cyst in the left maxillary sinus measuring 11 mm in diameter, but she didn't think it would be causing my problems. I also have numbness in my upper palate and left upper gums that comes and goes. My doctor told me it was a form of Trigeminal neuralgia (sp) and gave me a prescription for gabapentin, which I take 600 mg a day. It does seem to have helped the numbness in my upper palate and gums. I do have a history of cancer in my family. One of my sisters is currently battling Lung Cancer. She is 52 years old and has smoked since in her teens. I have taken  OTC painkillers for the chest pain but they have not worked. My doctor did have my heart checked out with a stress test, which I failed, and followed it with a cath up my leg and into my arteries. The arteries in my heart were all clear. I guess my greatest concern is lung cancer at this time. My doctor recently told me he has no concern about me having lung cancer and that he was not going to follow it an further.
Thanks for you reply
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
Could you please specify as to which group of lymph nodes were found to be calcified and whether there was any particular past history of tuberculosis or sarcoidosis or any fungal lung infection in your case. Where exactly do you have the pain in your chest? Do you also have associated heartburn symptoms? Do get back with the answers and also in the mean time take some OTC painkillers for the backache and apply local dicofenac gel in the back. Goodluck.
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