Little Lung Spots
 

The first CT scan I had showed some small spots on my lungs. They are still there. How much to care about them seems to depend on who's reading the scan. In June an oncologist I consulted for a second opinion said I had experienced progression in my lungs. My onc said, "that's not at all clear."

On my latest scan, for the first time, the person reading it calls them "metastases." I'm so glad I've learned not to freak out about the language of CT scan descriptions! My onc showed me the pictures. The spots are small (too small to biopsy). They haven't changed. There aren't any new ones. And you can't really tell the difference between the ones that he flagged as "mets" and similar structures that were not flagged. My onc also said that when looking at pictures of obvious lung metastases there is no ambiguity.

I went looking on the Internet for pictures of lung metastases, and found an article about "tumorlets" that can mimic metastatic breast cancer. I will not be so bold as to self-diagnose with benign, cancer-mimicking tumorlets, but to me it's further reassurance. I think everyone's got "stuff" going on inside them. (The scans have also told me much more than I care to know about my kidneys, my thyroid, my uterus, etc.) If you have stage IV breast cancer, your scans will be read very defensively and in light of that very important and salient detail. That's my point.

It's hard to just watch and wait, but many times that's the most prudent strategy. In my case I have one bone lesion that looked like a met last May but is now healed (and is right next to a vertebra with an identical "bone island" that no one ever thought might be cancer.) My proven, known liver metastases have healed. My thyroid is being monitored (I've had three biopsies so far, one that rules out cancer and two that are inconclusive.) I'm willing to keep watching and waiting.

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

Hello Amy,

I am going to interpret this as good news from what I understood. Hope you enjoy the holidays and continued success with your doctoral studies.

Take care,

Jackie

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

Amy,
From one stage iv gal to another...that all sounds like pretty fantastic news to me! So glad the liver mets are gone!
Sending you a congratulatory hug through cyberspace!
Denise

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

Sometimes I wonder if things on the scan are a matter of "If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail." But then I'm quite skilled at denial!

Amy, congratulations on your liver. That is so wonderful that it's clear. And the lungs? At least if anything is there it's too small for them to tell! That's good, no?

Your thyroid condition combined with the BC reminds me of a book I read written by a doctor here in Michigan about the thyroid/breast connection to iodine levels in the body. If you pm me your address I will mail you my copy.

Hugs and prayers,

Rachael

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

Hello Amy. Would another Pet/scan help? What does your onc say about that?
Michka

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

Hi Amy
According to my own onc very tiny spots on the lungs are virtually impossible to diagnose correctly and are often caused by inflammatory changes. I feel the really positive news is that they arn't progressing and there are no new ones. I sense this to be good news.
Ellie

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

It is true we all have weird stuff inside our bodies. I know I have stuff in the right lung lobe and stuff in my brain. All the tests etc scared the c___p outta me. However, they are just weird things about me. Maybe the lung thinglets are just a weird normal thinglet.

I have lung and brain thinglets:)

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

Amy,

I think you have adopted a fabulously sage attitude! Really glad to hear your liver is clear.

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

Hi Amy, I like your attitude as well! I had three definite lung tumours, and a smattering of small stuff that have never changed or gone away, even though two lung tumours disappeared and one stuck around (very small now). My onc was never concerned about the small smattering of 'thinglets'!
All the best
Marie

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

I also had "thinglets" that lighted up on scans. They turned out to be old pneumonia but not before I had a lobe of my lung removed. It's a long story but a cautionary tale. As has been said, things are not always what they seem
Keep the faith

Re: Little Lung Spots
 

I have now heard of 4 people who were thought to have lung mets or lung tumors, which turned out to be pneumonia scars. Sometimes doctors cannot distinguish between them. So watch and wait seems a good idea to me.

Love

Jacqueline