Radiation scarring etc.

Anonymous

Just wondering about anyone else here with increasing lung scarring from radiation?  My scans of the chest/lungs show increasing scarring each time and they say there's nothing to be done -- just keep scanning every 3 or 6 months to compare -- which doesn't really comfort me much.  And during the recent scan they also see liver spots too small to "characterize" -- what the heck?  they say lots of people have liver spots and don't know it -- very common.  Ok but what about us BC ladies?? 

Do people who have asthma or bronchitis usually have scarring also -- anyone know that one?  My sister has both asthma & bronch. and said x-rays don't show any scarring for her. 

Anonymous

Just to clear something up - the small spots I mentioned were on my liver --not lungs.  oops - :0)

jennyboog

I can't help with the scarring...I'm sorry, but I did have a spot on my liver and one on my lung that was found on my numerous scans.  They both turned out to be nothing, liver one is a cyst and lung one is a nodule.  I think they just find ours more than the average joe because of all the scans we do and they have to be cautious because of our history.

MaxineO

I, too had a spot on my liver and a spot on my spine.  They were there before chemo and after chemo, so they decided it wasn't mets. Like Jenny said, we get scanned more, so they find more. Most people walking around have similar spots but just don't know it. Another perk of bc

Don't know about lung scarring but I am curious about responses. It seems like I don't have the lung capacity I used to pre-treatments...

SharonMH

Hi, They also found a few spots on my lungs but scans showed that they stayed the same. So they said that were just wear and tear from living.  SharonH

diana50

my lungs and ribs on the side of rads were damaged,  the apex of my lung is scared and 4 years after i had broken ribs on same side.  the arimidex was partly to blame for the broken ribs as the bone was weakened from rads and then weakened from the arimidex.  i was very concerned about the lungs but i really didn't notice any breathing problems or coughing...etc.  they did watch for a few years....but now after 9 years..not an issue.  there isn't anything you can dor for this; but for me as time passed...no issues and not a problem now.  my onc believes the rads really did cause these problems. 

 when you get scans; it isn';t unusual that "spots; show up.  my experience was my doc wouldn't panic and order another scan 6 months later. no change means you are probably doing ok. 

i don't have scans anymore. the only time i will have a scan is if i have a physical symptom that would warrent a scan.  so far so good.

hang in there.  best

diana

Anonymous

Diana50 -- thank you for the encouraging words.  I guess I have to just do scans for a while and compare them all.  I also had a radiation "boost" to the mastectomy scar.  Back then I figured why not if there would be even a small beneficial effect.  But it definitely came with a price -- I think more scarring came after that than anything prior.  Thanks you guys are great!