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Sherryg683 · 01-09-2009, 09:47 PM

Koolmom, if your nodules didn't show up on the PET, I wouldn't worry too much about them, I would definately follow up on them but don't jump to conclusions yet. I have had lung nodules come and go on my scans in the last few years that were not and have never amounted to anything. I have learned that it is normal to have such nodules, they can be due to environmental factors, respiratory infections, etc...not all are cancer. I think mine were work related, from breathing paint fumes for years. I have had 3 that have been there all along and have never changed. My normal radiologist that reads my scans knows this and doesn't make a big deal of it. Today I got my scans back and it was a different guy who read my scans, he noted the nodules and stated that "although they were not PET avid, they may be too small and could be metastatic, watch closely". When I questioned my oncologist about this, he told me that theses were the same nodules that I've had for 3 years that were nothing and that this was just the report of a radiologist making sure he was covering his butt from a lawsuit. If there is any doubt or any suspicions, they have to note that it may be metastatic...that's a big MAY. The two nodules that I had that did light up for cancer when I was diagnosed were very very small, they weren't much if any bigger than yours. PETS are very sensitive and can detect very small cancers. They also have a very high false positive rate and can light up for other reasons. I am still hoping that that is what happened on my original diagnosis. My mets were too small to biopsy, so we just treated them as cancer. So there is always that doubt in my mind about whether, they were actually cancer or not. Since my original diagosis, I have had 3 incidences of the PET lighting up and it being false positive, ..twice in my breast and once in my ovary. It's very scary but I have come to the conclusion that before I get back on any form of chemotherapy, I will make sure I have a biopsy, that's the only way to be absolutely sure. If you could post your history that would help, are you just beginning chemo or do you have a history of other mets....sherryg683

01-09-2009, 09:47 PM	#21
Sherryg683 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,014	Koolmom, if your nodules didn't show up on the PET, I wouldn't worry too much about them, I would definately follow up on them but don't jump to conclusions yet. I have had lung nodules come and go on my scans in the last few years that were not and have never amounted to anything. I have learned that it is normal to have such nodules, they can be due to environmental factors, respiratory infections, etc...not all are cancer. I think mine were work related, from breathing paint fumes for years. I have had 3 that have been there all along and have never changed. My normal radiologist that reads my scans knows this and doesn't make a big deal of it. Today I got my scans back and it was a different guy who read my scans, he noted the nodules and stated that "although they were not PET avid, they may be too small and could be metastatic, watch closely". When I questioned my oncologist about this, he told me that theses were the same nodules that I've had for 3 years that were nothing and that this was just the report of a radiologist making sure he was covering his butt from a lawsuit. If there is any doubt or any suspicions, they have to note that it may be metastatic...that's a big MAY. The two nodules that I had that did light up for cancer when I was diagnosed were very very small, they weren't much if any bigger than yours. PETS are very sensitive and can detect very small cancers. They also have a very high false positive rate and can light up for other reasons. I am still hoping that that is what happened on my original diagnosis. My mets were too small to biopsy, so we just treated them as cancer. So there is always that doubt in my mind about whether, they were actually cancer or not. Since my original diagosis, I have had 3 incidences of the PET lighting up and it being false positive, ..twice in my breast and once in my ovary. It's very scary but I have come to the conclusion that before I get back on any form of chemotherapy, I will make sure I have a biopsy, that's the only way to be absolutely sure. If you could post your history that would help, are you just beginning chemo or do you have a history of other mets....sherryg683 __________________ Sherry Diagnosed: December , 2005 at age 44 13+ positive lymph nodes Stage IV , Her2+, 2 small mets to lungsChemo Started: Jan, 2006 4 months Taxotere, Xeloda, Hercepin NED since April 2006!! 36 Rads to follow with weekly Herceptin indefinately 8 years NED now Scans every year Life is not about avoiding the thunderstorms, it's about learning to dance in the rain!