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What Do Nodules In Lung Indicate?
Question: Hello Doctor,
I'm an Iranian living in Tehran. My mother is 56 years old non smoker lady who has been suffering from dry coughs and breathlessness in the last few months. after a series of tests and CT scans the doctor said there are few nodules in her lungs and her left lung has become smaller. for more details they got a sample by Bronchoscopy which the result said :"Indadequate atypic epithelial cells in a desmoplastic bloody inflamed backgroung, could be suggestive of malignancy. due to inadequacy of speciemen repeat biopsy is suggested."
They repeated the biopsy and now we're waiting for the result.
Her doctor has said she is suspected to have metastasis tumors. We have checked and scanned her breasts, under arms, womb and other limbs looking for a cancer which so far nothing has been found.
I really need to have a second advice from a specialist. I need to know what is the chance of the doctor's guess of a metastasis tumor could be true? considering we have no cancer background in the family and my mother is not a smoker either.
Is a metastasis tumor always dangerous? or the term "metastasis" could suggest other conditions too?
my main problem is that her doctor, even though he is one of the best in Iran, but he is certainly one of the worst in terms of giving information and communicating with us. and so far he has made us madly worried and has not been helpful to reduce the worriness.
I will write down the result of her CT scan as well to give you all the info we have.
"Left paraspinal pumonary mass about 40x40mm at mid zone of the left lung is seen. left hilar adenophaty is seen.
multiple varied size pulmonary nodules in both lungs are seen in favor of met deposit. The largest is about 25mm at posterior aspect of upper zone left lung.
Heart has normal size. diaphragm and bony thorax are unremarkable. "
Also she has done a TB test which has been negative.
Please help me with this situation and tell me what exactly happening to her. We've been having really difficult time.
Respect and regards from Iran
I'm an Iranian living in Tehran. My mother is 56 years old non smoker lady who has been suffering from dry coughs and breathlessness in the last few months. after a series of tests and CT scans the doctor said there are few nodules in her lungs and her left lung has become smaller. for more details they got a sample by Bronchoscopy which the result said :"Indadequate atypic epithelial cells in a desmoplastic bloody inflamed backgroung, could be suggestive of malignancy. due to inadequacy of speciemen repeat biopsy is suggested."
They repeated the biopsy and now we're waiting for the result.
Her doctor has said she is suspected to have metastasis tumors. We have checked and scanned her breasts, under arms, womb and other limbs looking for a cancer which so far nothing has been found.
I really need to have a second advice from a specialist. I need to know what is the chance of the doctor's guess of a metastasis tumor could be true? considering we have no cancer background in the family and my mother is not a smoker either.
Is a metastasis tumor always dangerous? or the term "metastasis" could suggest other conditions too?
my main problem is that her doctor, even though he is one of the best in Iran, but he is certainly one of the worst in terms of giving information and communicating with us. and so far he has made us madly worried and has not been helpful to reduce the worriness.
I will write down the result of her CT scan as well to give you all the info we have.
"Left paraspinal pumonary mass about 40x40mm at mid zone of the left lung is seen. left hilar adenophaty is seen.
multiple varied size pulmonary nodules in both lungs are seen in favor of met deposit. The largest is about 25mm at posterior aspect of upper zone left lung.
Heart has normal size. diaphragm and bony thorax are unremarkable. "
Also she has done a TB test which has been negative.
Please help me with this situation and tell me what exactly happening to her. We've been having really difficult time.
Respect and regards from Iran
Brief Answer:
PET scan
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Your mother is suffering from stage 4 cancer.
Metastasis has already occured meaning it has spread to other parts from primary tumour site.
I will advise your mother to do a PET scan to find if the primary source is from lungs or the tumour has spread to the lungs from other primary source in the body.
Repeat biopsy has to be done along with immunohistochemistry test to determine the primary source and sub type of cancer.
Regards
DR De
PET scan
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Your mother is suffering from stage 4 cancer.
Metastasis has already occured meaning it has spread to other parts from primary tumour site.
I will advise your mother to do a PET scan to find if the primary source is from lungs or the tumour has spread to the lungs from other primary source in the body.
Repeat biopsy has to be done along with immunohistochemistry test to determine the primary source and sub type of cancer.
Regards
DR De
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Thanks. but how can you be so sure that it's a cancer? the doctor here is not yet sure about it. can you tell me please which part of the info I gave you makes you so sure of a cancer?
Brief Answer:
Biopsy is the confirmatory test
Detailed Answer:
Hi
PET scan is necessary to find metastasis has happened or not as in CT scan along with left sided pulmonary mass she is also having pulmonary nodules in both lungs .
But the confirmatory test to rule out malignancy will be a biopsy and you have to wait for the repeat biopsy result.
If you have no more clarifications then please close the thread.
Regards
DR De
Biopsy is the confirmatory test
Detailed Answer:
Hi
PET scan is necessary to find metastasis has happened or not as in CT scan along with left sided pulmonary mass she is also having pulmonary nodules in both lungs .
But the confirmatory test to rule out malignancy will be a biopsy and you have to wait for the repeat biopsy result.
If you have no more clarifications then please close the thread.
Regards
DR De
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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