CT Scan showed tiny nodules in my right lung.

Hope40

I had a scan completed about three weeks ago because my port was pushed down into my heart and caused a blood clot.  The scan showed some post radiation changes (which I understand) but also showed a couple tiny nodules as well.  My doctor tells me he isn't worried and has seen this many times, but I am having nightmares over it.  I really want to take his word for it that it is nothing but that ugly little voice in the back of my haid keeps whispering it has spread to my lungs.  After my double mastectomy in June of 2013 before I started my treatment I completed a PET scan which showed no cancer.  I want to be positive but I am having problems.  Has anyone else had this show up and turn out to be nothing?

Feeling sad...

Holeinone

Malisa, 

Ladies post all the time about having small nodules, that are completely benign. Some call them incidentals, bumps...our bodies produce them on the inside & outside. Older we get, the more time they have to grow...

I have never heard of a port getting pushed into your heart. That had to be painful & scary. 

Try to believe what your Dr. told you about the nodules. Are you on Tamoxifen or an AI ?

shoppygirl

Malisa

I am so sorry for your worry!  I have a lung nodule that was found in my first ct scan. A follow up scan after chemo showed no change. Now it is followed every year. I know it is very difficult to not go to that dark place but nodules are very common. Anything can cause them and so many women on this site have them. 

If your doctor was really concerned then I am sure he would take action. 

Good luck with everything. 

Hope40

The cardiologist said he had never seen the end of a port pushed that far down into the heart.  The tip was pushed against the right atrium wall which caused the clot.  I did experience some pain and I would tell the nurse about it when I was getting treatment.  I am not sure how it happened but apparently a rare case.  They removed the port and put another one in and I am feeling much better.  I do have to take blood thinners for six months but so far so good.  I am hoping that I will be able to finish my reconstructive surgery on my breasts by August.  I will finish Hercepton the end of July.  I was PR/ER negative HER2 possitive.  I really appreciate the posts it makes me feel so much better.  I am so glad I found this forum. 

shoppygirl

How scary about your port!  So glad you are feeling better. 

Hugs!  

flannelette

I had a tiny granule show up on some scan 2 years ago, when they were searching for what was causing my enlarged lymph nodes. Dr said it looked to him like a leftover bit of scar from some old lung infection. They checked it 3 months later. Absolutely no change. then 6 month later. No change. I actually skipped the last scan. Hoping yours are just old scars or whatever, too. Scans show things that we normally would never know or care about, and that is partly why we don't get regular scans after tx - there would be a never-ending line-up of us with false positives, also the radiation accumulates. Hoping for the best for you! It's tough to not be scared - i just pop clonazapams as worrying does nothing helpful to your body or mind.

DeliriumPie

hope, I will echo what everyone has said about many people having nodules that are nothing. I would insist on a short term follow up scan though, just for your own peace of mind. Maybe in 3 months instead of 6?  I think if you can see no changes on a new scan, you would rest a little easier. 

lilyrose53

Hope,  I had 4 small nodes show up on my PET scan.  They didn't 'light up' so my MO suspects they are not cancerous.  He has seen this many times.   I had pneumonia some years ago and he said it was possible scarring from that.  He Told me we could do a needle biopsy but they are in an area that is almost impossible to reach.  I have decided to wait and see.  He will be doing another scan in a few months to keep an eye on things.  Try not to worry.

Wishing you peace of mind,  lilyrose

Alicethecat

Hello Hope

I had tiny blood clots in my lung and the docs put me on warfarin for six months. Then I had haze in the lung and the docs thought it could be sarcoidosis. 

Worth having a chat with your once about this possibility?

Good luck

Alice

Hope14

after my lumpectomy and before starting radiations and during the regular ct to the chest that they do as a prep for radiations they found a nodule on my lungs as we'll and I started freaking out...the oncologist said most likely it's benign and he ordered a pet scan as my anxiety level was over the top .he confirmed again that it's just a granuloma or a benign nodule that is sometimes there and not harmful. So don't worry..but I understand...

cp418

Same as Hope14 described.  They even did a lung biopsy on one nodule and confirmed benign granuloma as I've had respiratory infections and bronchitis in the past.  It is very scary to think the worse but these benign lung findings are very common it seems.

Hope40

I really appreciate all the possitive feed back.  It helps so much.  As you all know after you go through double mastectomy, expanders in chest, chemo, radiation you no longer know what is normal and what isn't.  The cancer was in my right breast and 4 lymph nodes.  I am still very stiff in my arm and shoulder.  The expanders in my chest especially on the right side is very tender.  I try to exercise and stretch to gain more mobility, but it stiffens up very easily.  I am hoping that I can finish my reconstructive surgery by the end of July.  I am a little nervous because the mastectomy was so painful and they sent me home the next day before I had my pain under control.  I am going to do the implants and the dorcal muscle from my back for the right side.  Has anyone had this type of reconstruction?  If so how was the recovery time and were you pleased with the results?

momand2kids

Hope

I am so sorry you are going through this. I wanted to share that I am also tracking down a nodule on my lung and 3 on my thyroid. I am more than a little freaked out, so I get it.  I am having the thyroid biopsy this week. the odds are good that it is nothing, and apparently thyroid nodules are common in 60% of the population. They were only found on a lung CT that I had done because I had had horrible colds and coughs this winter.  Otherwise, I would not know about them.

The lung CT came back clear, but the pulmonary doc saw a little something (6-7mm).  Because of my history with bc, he suggested a PET.  I have  a dear friend who is a pulmonologist and she suggested getting a second opinion on the testing and then, because it is so small and they are so common, have another scan in a few months to see if there are any changes. This is actually the standard protocol in general, but I think because we have had bc, the follow up can be more aggressive which is what the doc said to me.

So I am holding off on the PET until I can go see the second opinion guy.  Gathering all my films so that maybe we can see if it has always been there--but even if it hasn't, everything I read and hear suggests that it is very, very common.  

Like you, I have been anxious-wondering if something has spread--but this is highly unlikely and I am trying not to make myself too crazy about this.... I will deal with whatever comes--thryoid is up first...

keep us posted and I will do the same... I completely understand how you feel

hugs

Winters74

just bumping this post as I was just told I have a 6mm hazy nodule to be watched. Hadn't been there before. Doctor isn't concerned and will recheck in 3 months. But I am a little impatient and freaking out! I finished radiation in the middle of August. How is everyone doing with their nodules found?