Need some opinions...FIL has stage 3b??

Lagrelsa · New User Joined: 23 Jun 2009 Posts: 1

Hi,
I'm not looking for real medical advice, just some insights and opinions from anyone who has had some experience with this. My FIL had a chest x-ray several weeks ago and it showed a mass in the center upper part of the lower lobe of one of his lungs. He is 66 yrs old and was a smoker for many years up until about one year ago. There were also three enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes in the same general area that showed up on the x-ray. The doctor was almost positive it would end up stage 3b, but they did a needle biopsy of the three nodes and took a sample of lung fluid, all of which were "inconclusive." They weren't able to get a sample of the mass, but a subsequent PET scan did light up the mass but not the nodes.

Now they are talking about doing a more invasive biopsy of all four areas, but the thoracic surgeon told my FIL that "he's not worried about the nodes" since they didn't light up, and he also told him that he is wanting him to do another CT scan and a pulmonary function test before deciding what to do, since a biopsy of the mass would take a significant portion of his lung.

First of all, I may not be a dr. but if there are three lymph nodes in the area close to a mass that lit up on a PET scan then I would be hesitant to just "not worry about them." Second of all, what likelihood is there that the nodes are still cancerous even though they didn't light up on the PET scan? And can't they just take a small piece of the mass now instead of waiting two weeks and giving him antibiotics (yes, they did) for the lymph nodes just to see if they work?

Our family is just really frustrated, so any comments would be helpful. Thank you.

maryaz

Lagrelsa; I don't exactly know how to answer you. I cannot remember all the PetScan info about err percentage or such on those tests.

You got my attention in that my husband was a Stage 3B. He ultimately had lung surgery. Had difficult time naming his also. You can read it in the link under my signature but don't think it would be too helpful.

You can ask any of these questions of the doctors too. The waiting is awful. So hard when they do the tests and not find out. We been there more than once.

I don't remember what all is written on this page but know I went to it often reading about the PetScans
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=PET&bhcp=1

Hope you start to find the answers soon.
_________________
Mary

Husband is 67 year old Male
NSCLC - Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Chemo and Radiation Treatments together
Allergic reactions to Taxol and Taxotere.
The Story: http://www.cancerforums.net/about9079.html

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2400

Hi,

Welcome to the forums and I hope you find the information and support you need to help on this journey.

You mention a more invasive type biopsy. Will this be a VATS procedure? Are you meeting with the surgeon again prior to the biopsy? If they are doing the above, I've seen a lot of folks whose surgeons go ahead and remove lymph nodes that are suspect to test and see if the cancer is detected in them. Make sure to ask if they'll be removing nodes if they are doing this type of procedure.

Nodes can be enlarged or thickened without being malignant, but better safe than sorry.

Hugs,
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

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