Lung Cancer

[hearrean]

I'm trying to get some opinions of a recent finding. FYI: I'm a 58 year old male former smoker, but quit 5 years ago.
I had a follow-up CT scan done last week and saw the Pulmonoligist today. The Radiologist written findings were as follows: An irregular 20 X 19 X 18 mm medial right upper lobe mass has developed closely associated with the suprahilar region. This is highly suspicious for neoplastic disease. Associated with this lesion is a second mass which is suprahilar in location & does extend into the mediastinum, and again this is most likely a neoplasm & this component measures 33 X 24 X 24 mm & irregular. This most likely represents a malignant bronchogenic neoplasm, however a PET scan is recommended for further investigation.
The Pulmonoligist was extremely straigt-forward & said he did not believe in sugar-coating anything. He recommended surgery to remove & immediately sent me over to a Thoracic surgeon. The surgeon recommends a bone scan, PET scan & breathing function test be done prior to surgery. The breathing function test he says will determine how much of the lung can be removed safely. I can say that I had a breathing function test done about a year ago & it only showed I had about 53% lung function. This is obviously due to my prior years of smoking.
Can anyone give me any words of encouragement? Right now this has hit me hard & quick & I don't mind saying I'm scared out of my mind. It just seems that everyone is moving so fast! I am considering getting another evaluation from MD Anderson cancer center in Houston. The Dr. here did say it's slightly possible (20%) it's not cancer, but most likely is. I'd appreciate any feedback anyone may have..

Thanks...

Ken

[UroDoc]

In general second opinions are a good thing especially when dealing with cancer and a major surgery. Although it does sound like your doctors are doing the right things. If the PET scan is positive it most likely is a cancer. Hang in there, support of family and friends will get you through don't be afraid to reach out, good luck

[ellenb]

Hi Ken,

I'm new to this whole thing, also. I had a needle biopsy the Wed. before Thanksgiving and I have an appt. to talk with my GP so she can give me the findings. If it was nothing she would have given the news on the phone. I, too, am a long time smoker who stopped about 3 months ago. My "mass" is in the same place you're is; upper right lobe; sitting right on top.

I'm sorry I can't really give you good advice because I'm in about the same place you are, including being scared out of my mind, also.

I do intend to not let anyone rush me into things I may regret. If my chances are slim, I want no surgery. I believe that once the air hits the mass, it spreads. I would rather live as long as I can without being confined to a hospital bed, being sick every day, bald, not being able to enjoy my family, and then die anyway.

All I can say is that you make sure you're sure about everything before you do it.

I wish you luck and success in beating this thing. I know you'll make the right decisions for you. I hope I'll make the right ones for me.

Ellen

[marm]

Hello Ellen and Ken. I am scheduled for a ct guided biopsy on my lung mass in a few weeks and its in the same place as well. They've been watching it for quite sometime now. "IT" has grown slowly and is now 2.9 cm. Were either of yours cavitated? I think I will feel better knowing what it is.
Hope you are both doing well....

[hearrean]

I haven't posted here in this forum in quite some time & a lot has transpired since I did. I have now had my 2nd weekly chemo treatment & will be having the 3rd tomorrow. My diagnosis was a form of NSCLC called "Large cell." It was poorly differentiated and had Neuroendocrine features. This is a fairly rare form of Lung Cancer and has a high tendency of spreading. They treat it similar to Small Cell & it typically responds well to chemo but it's still a bad one because of the high spreading tendency. In that since, it's a lot like small cell and is why they tend to treat it similiarly.
My treatment consists of weekly infusions of Cisplatin and Irinotecan. And because I am having weekly treatments, it's considered a smaller dosage. The Doc had told me that my side affects would probably be minimum & he was right. Of course I do take a lot of supplements & herbs which a lot of the Oncologists don't tend to agree with, but so far I have had no side affects & my blood counts have been good. One of the nurses during last week's chemo treatment said my counts were unusually good.
After tomorrow, I will have (1) more treatment on 12/27 & then go back to MD Anderson-Houston on 12/28 for re-testing (X-Ray, blood work & CT Scan). I will then meet back with one of my MD Anderson Docs on 1/3 for the news (good or bad)..
To answer your question as to whether mine was cavitated or not, mine was not (at least at the time of diagnosis). As mentioned earlier, it was of high grade & poorly differentiated. (I was also staged at IIIa). I should add that my primary mass is in my upper right lobe & I have (2) affected regional (same side) lymph nodes. At least that was the case at diagnosis. Hopefully when I go back on 12/28, I'm praying I won't see any add'l spread & hopefully tumor/node reductions. I do know there are a lot of survivors out there & I try & avoid the stats because they will scare you to death! I'm on a couple of other forums full of survivors even staged at IV. This gives me a lot of encouragement & I also know & realize that God has everything to do with my recovery & I've basically placed this all in his hands..

Ken