 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Cancer / April 2004Does a shadow on a x ray always mean lung cancer?
Hi, Bascially i am worried sick as my mum got her x rays results back and it shows a shadow(or something) on the right lung(hilum) She now has to go for more tests including Bronchoscopy Well i typed in Bronchoscopy to google and never been so scared in my life as most of the results back were regarding lung cancer I should point out my mum has smoked for 50 years,she gave up 4 weeks ago when her cough became too bad!.She also suffers from heart disease.And also gets bone scans to see if she has brittle bones Anyway her latest troubles started about 6/7 weeks ago. She got a really bad cold(she gets a couple a year),but this was a bad one and it came with a really bad cough.Then she felt a pain in her right lung and ribs.Basically she put this down to coughing all the time.She now says the pain has gone away.I did ask her if she coughed up any blood and she yes once.Also since she has gived up smoking she has been more sleepy.I hope this is a symptom of giving up smoking. The good news she hasn't lost any weight and seems to be eating normally.... But as i say basically i have gotten it into my head she may have lung cancer and she hasn't even had the test yet!And my bloody depressing attitude is dragging her and my dad down and making everyone think the worse. Now i don't what false hope,i just need to know the shadow could be something else.Researching the internet i think it could be.... Scaring from pneumonia bronchitis Emphysema Collapsed lung (my aunty had similar symptoms and went thru the same test) Do people agree with the above,can it be anything else??? As i say i just need to know it might be something else as i searched google newsgroups and only found one post were the guy thought he had lung cancer and it turned out to be something else Any imput greatly appreciated Thanks Ste Two years ago my mother had a shadow on her lung x-ray and on her cat scan but it was pneumonia. However, two days ago she was diagnosed with lung cancer in her right lung. She smoked for 45 years and stopped smoking over three years ago--she's 61 years old. A shadow doesn't always mean lung cancer but given your mother's history there is a good chance that it might be. Try not to jump to any conclusions until you get the test results back. I know it is hard--God do I know. Good luck. Hi, Just a follow up from my post a month back We received the results of the CT guided biopsy today And it was confirmed my mum has non-small cell cancer,its probably at stage 2 The type of cancer is squamous carcinoma and is about 2 inches long The doctor said it hasn't spread anywhere else and it doesn't look like its attached to the lymph nodes,he said this was a good sign... The bad news is my mums general lung health is so poor surgery is not an option as he would had have to cut away so much of the lung she basically wouldn't be able to breath after the operation(that's if she made it through the operation) So we have been advised chemotherapy(if she is up to it) and radiation in that order.But reading up on non-small cell it seems radiation is the way to go first...? Anyway so she will have a few more tests in the coming days,bone scan etc So i guess my question is can this cancer be cured by chemo and radiation or is it just delaying inevitable?Any good websites i can look at to get more info? And finally i just feel numb and i am fearing the worse,while my mum is putting a brave face on it and saying she will fight it and beat it... Thanks Steve > Hi, > Just a follow up from my post a month back [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Thanks > Steve There isn't a jot of evidence that chemotherapy has anything to offer for someone with a node negative non small cell cancer - but plenty of side effects. For patients who are not surgical candidates, radical radiotherapy alone is the standard here in BC, and the retrospective results are as good as surgery, though there are no randomised trials. T2 N0 as you describe, the series in the literature show five year survivals of 15-20%, whether treated surgically or by RT. >Hi, >Just a follow up from my post a month back >We received the results of the CT guided biopsy today >And it was confirmed So sorry Steve. Kathy J My grandma fractured a rib when she tried to get up from the table.... that's from the osteoporosis.... She went to the doctor to get a chest X-ray done to find out where the break was and if it was healing.... The doctor muttered something about a "Dark spot" in one of her lungs. As she told me this, immediately, my guts tightened and I asked her, "Grandma, do you have lung cancer?" She chuckled and said no. 3 days later, the doctor called her and told her she needed to have a biopsy done as well as a CT scan and an MRI to rule out pneumonia. When she said this, I then asked her if she was coughing or out of breath, how about tired, appetite and how many cigarettes she's been smoking lately. her answers were; yes, yes, no, ok, 2 a day.... all in that order. I couldn't shake that nagging feeling that Cancer was going to be the diagnosis.... I'd seen X-rays as she described hers to look like in many of my patients. Every one ended up being cancer. I don't want to scare you or fuel your fears. I'm just sharing my experience.... In the end, the dark spot in her X-ray was cancer.... a bone scan and biopsy showed another kind of cancer.... bone cancer.... about 3 months into the diagnosis, she decided to take chemo. it began having undesireable effects so she stopped.... she had some good many weeks where she felt great. then she found herself on 12L of O2 and another diagnosis of congestive heart failure. Not too long after that, she developed horrendous headaches. An MRI showed tumors in her brain. Radiation helped with the pain by shrinking the tumors but couldn't get rid of them. We said our good byes and she went off of the RT. She went downhill so fast.... within 3 weeks she was gone.... She had a wonderful last year with us.... I know this because when I saw her again to say my final physical good bye to her, her face was so at peace.... she even seemed to be happy..... A sense of sadness and relief flooded me. Sadness because I'd never be able to hug her again.... relief because I knew she was now no longer in pain. She was for the first time in more than 30 years, free from pain. I wouldn't trade that for anything.... I know she had a good life. Hang in there... you're in my thoughts! I know it's not easy.... the wait is the worst part.... (((((((((((((((((((((Steve)))))))))))))))))))))))  Signature"Many have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You remain responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery > Hi, > Bascially i am worried sick as my mum got her x rays results back and [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > Thanks > Ste > Hi, > Bascially i am worried sick as my mum got her x rays results back and [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > Thanks > Ste A shadow on an xray is something that should be investigated further, as it is, but until you get the results of the further investigations that is all it is, a shadow. Won't stop you fearing the worst and worrying but there is nothing you are anyone else can do until the other results come in. Hopefully it's one of the other things you listed, just hang in there MIKE First,thanks for the replies! My mum had her CT scan/ Bronchoscopy last week Today we went for the results... Well the result was inconclusive we still don't know if its cancer,was not expecting this result... The reasons given were the doctor couldn't see anything thru the Bronchoscopy,the fluid wash? came back clean or they couldn't tell anything from it.The CT scan showed no shadows anywhere else in her body,just the original shadow over the right lung They did find out she does have some Emphysema,but this isn't causing the shadow So the shadow can either be 3 things... Infection/scarring from an infection or cancer Anyway she has been prescribed 10 days worth of very strong antibiotics and in 2 weeks time she will have to have another CT scan and a needle biopsy thru the chest direct to the shadow But of course we hoping at the moment it is an infection and the strong antibiotics will clear up the shadow But as i say i was really surprised the test came back inconclusive But surely the CT scan showing no other shadows is good news and my mum is still eating well and seems in overall better condition that she did a few weeks back Has anyone else been thru a similar experience.Is it a good sign or are we back at square one.What it does mean is more waiting,which is terrible.... Thanks Steve >> Hi, >> Bascially i am worried sick as my mum got her x rays results back and [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] >Hopefully it's one of the other things you listed, just hang in there >MIKE To me, your news sounds promising. Has she been ill lateley with an infection? Does she smoke? What caused her to have the xray in the first place? Wouldn't the cat scan show if the shadow is a tumor? We are waiting for the results of my husbands cat scan. A shadow was found on routine xray. The dr said he couldn't tell if its just an exaggerated normal shadow or a problem. He is a smoker. >To me, your news sounds promising. >Has she been ill lateley with an infection? About 8 weeks ago she had a really,really bad cold.And her cough became a lot worse.After 7 days on antibiotics the cough was no better so the x ray was done Yep she has smoked for 50 years,but gave up 6 weeks ago because of the bad cough.About the cough on one occasion there was a bit of blood in the sputum,but otherwise when she coughs in the morning it is a yellowish colour and becomes more and more clear throughout the day I don't know why the Dr cannot tell if its a tumor from the CT scan.... What has worried me is why wasn't a Percutaneous needle biopsy done on the same day as the bronchoscopy as i was told by a nurse a lot of time a bronchoscopy cannot reach the "shadow". So why not just do a Percutaneous needle biopsy first? (This is a question i wished i had asked the nurse!) As now i am worrying that if it is cancer,its another 3 weeks without any treatment... Anyway many thanks for the reply and i hope your Husband gets the all clear Cheers Steve Does she smoke? What caused her to >have the xray in the first place? Wouldn't the cat scan show if the shadow is >a tumor? > >We are waiting for the results of my husbands cat scan. A shadow was found on >routine xray. The dr said he couldn't tell if its just an exaggerated normal >shadow or a problem. He is a smoker. Steve, My husband's CT showed no evidence of lung disease. So, a shadow on an xray certainly does not mean lung cancer. I don't understand either why the CT does not answer the questions for you. But, apparently nothing is showing conclusive so that has to be a good sign. It is my understanding that a CT is supposed to show tumors. Also I believe yellow in sputum is indicative of an infection, and if you cough long and hard enough you might bring up a little blood. But, in my husband's case the shadow on the xray turned out not to be something else, but nothing at all. So try not to worry. My husband has smoked for 30 years, and coughed all the time. I think he is scared straight now. >Steve, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >something else, but nothing at all. So try not to worry. My husband has smoked >for 30 years, and coughed all the time. I think he is scared straight now. Thanks again for the reply cheers Steve >Steve, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >something else, but nothing at all. So try not to worry. My husband has smoked >for 30 years, and coughed all the time. I think he is scared straight now. Hi, Thanks for the reply. My mother finshed her course of antibiotics about a week ago her cough improved greatly(she was coughing about 20 times per hour,now about 3/4 an hour) Anyway she still needed the CT guided Biopsy and lung test.The doctor said he got 2 good tisue samples so he should be able to tell either way on friday What is worrying me is the nurse my mother is under seems to pass on bad vibes(basically hinting its cancer,maybe just preparing us for the worse...) But 8 weeks ago she was feeling terrible(with the bad cold) and now she is ok(tho i think she is getting another cold!) and also she has gained 2 pounds in weight,so is eating fine So i am hoping she is ok as i cannot believe if she had cancer 8 weeks ago how her health would improve(just hope i am not kidding myself) Anyway should find out on friday,unless its inconclusive Cheers Steve >Subject: Re: Does a shadow on a x ray always mean lung cancer? update and a >little advice please (new update) >From: steve steve@ra88.fsnet.co.uk >Date: 4/13/2004 >Anyway should find out on friday,unless its inconclusive > >Cheers >Steve Thanks for the update Steve and good they are checking it out just to be safe. Kathy My husband has been told he has a shadow on his left lung and the x-ray also shown it as cloudy and bulkey they are the words they used on the report. Can anybody please explain to me what this means,he has smoked for 40 years but gave up quite recently,he has also been complaining of pain in his rib cage on the left. He has to go again for another x-ray next week,can anybody help me?Thank you. >My husband has been told he has a shadow on his left lung and the x-ray >also shown it as cloudy and bulkey they are the words they used on the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >He has to go again for another x-ray next week,can anybody help me?Thank >you. There are a number of sources of shadows on the Lung, and the question is how long has it been there, and their other reasonable explanation. for example a patience with a history of a serious Cocci infection, the presence of tumor like shadow appearing within a couple of years of the infection would hardly raise an eyebrow. The pathology is well understood, and a calcified lesion of an infected area is very probable. In the absence of likely alternatives, and the presence of well known risk factor such as smoking, the chances that the shadow is a tumor are very high. Abnormal lung tissue takes on a somewhat different X-ray appearance, in fact a good radiologist can spot the difference between bacterial pneumonia, and a mycobacteria, or fungal pneumonia. The Fungal and Mycobacterial infections product what is called a diffuse infiltrate appearance. I am neither a Radiologist or a Physician, but lung abnormalities in the absence of other obvious causes, but with a long history of smoking has a very high probability of being something very bad. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.