Lung Cancer

[smcminn37]

Ok, we seem to be having some major hurdles getting through staging and on to treatment. This is where we are at now.

The Xray led to CT, which then led to biopsy with a positive adenocarcinoma. After the biopsy we were set up with the Pulmonologist who ordered more tests because of a possible Myxoma. My mom does not have a myxoma so we can get back to the cancer diagnosis. The original ct showed the tumor (2.4cm),multiple enlarger lymphs in the Hilar, Periportal, and precarinal regions. There is ground glass opacity in the upper right lobe, and mild bibasilar atelectasis in the lower portions.

My mom had her PET on Monday with all negative results....including the known malignancy...............What does that mean? We had a brief conversation with the Pulmonologist who wants her seen by the surgeon The big question is what to do about those Lymph nodes, remove or biopsy since the scan clearly did not work.

Shouldn't a different scan be done to make sure there is no spread.I feel as though we are losing time on getting treatment started, the first x ray that showed the tumor was June 26th. We did see the Oncologist but he is not technically in charge yet since she may be surgical, we do not meet back with him until the beginning of september. Now we are waiting to find out when she will be seen by the surgeon Any advise, knowledge or ideas.....Please.
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[Davy9]

I am no PET scan specialist. You relate that the primary tumor did not show on the scan and that does seem a little odd. Make certain that you learn why this happened. If the biopsy was right can the scan be flawed, or vice versa, could the biopsy be wrong?????

On the surface, if there is just that single tumor site and it is resectable by surgery that is the best of all situations. That is the 1st thing and the best course of action. Then they can follow up with chemo to try and kill of any remote spreading.

The other changes seen on the scan could be caused by non cancerous circumstances.

[smcminn37]

Thanks Davy9,

As usual we are waiting on scheduling with the surgeon to see what he want's to do,maybe a biopsy of those lymphs. It doesn't sound like the biopsy was wrong, but there may have been a problem with the chemical uptake or a PET negative tumor. From my own research, there are some cancer types wich are difficult to pick up on PET; Bronchioalveolar carcinoma and some Adenocarcinoma. My greatest concern is that, if we aren't picking up the known malignancy what chance are we taking that there is something elsewhere not showing. We should be getting a call from the Pulmonologist this am, to carify some issues and reschedule the surgeon, we are not set to consult with him until september, that seems too long of a wait. Ah, it is the waiting again that is so hard.