nodules on lung & adrenal gland

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lizinmontreal
lizinmontreal Member Posts: 46
edited June 2014 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

I'm making myself sick from worry. Is there any hope ?

On Feb. 16th, I had an abdominal CT scan at the hospital ER because I went in due to severe pains in back & side. I saw my GP on Monday who gave me results........two nodules on lung, one is 3mm and the other is 4 mm. Also a nodule on adrenal gland. I really don't remember the size, I think he said 1 cm but I lost him when he also mentioned the adrenal gland nodule. He has ordered an MRI and I'm waiting for the appointment. My last CT scan was during initial diagnosis nearly three years ago and it was clean. I have been faithfully taking Arimidex since July 2010. I noticed that I haven't had any bone/joint pains the last couple of months. I wonder if that is a sign that the Arimidex has stopped working.

At the moment, I'm having a really hard time keeping myself together. I can't sleep at night and I have terrible thoughts. I worry so much about what will happen. I take care of my elderly mom and need to be there for her. My sweet daughter is expecting a baby in June and I don't want to tell her anything because I don't want to upset her. 

I know that I have to wait for the MRI results but I have this feeling that since there are nodules on two organs, the diagnosis will be mets. Is there any hope? 

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited March 2013

    Liz, it's very scary to hear about these things, but the nodules could very well be nothing. My first CT showed stuff in liver, lungs and thyroid. All checked out to be benign. We get lots of "warts" inside as well as outside as we age. But usually only those of us who have been diagnosed with cancer get to know about them. Best wishes!

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  • lizinmontreal
    lizinmontreal Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2013

    Thanks, yorkiemom for such a quick respose. After reading that your nodules checked out benign, it put a smile on my face.

    I actually felt somewhat more hopeful. I guess that's what I need at the moment.

    Btw, you have such a cute Yorkie!

    Liz

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Hi,

    I am in a similar situation. In 2011 I had a 4mm tumor stage 1 with no lymph mode involvement. I had a lumpectomy and they said they got it all. They didn't recommend chemo, but I did do radiation. Because I am an ex smoker my dr. had me do a ct scan in 2012, and it was negative. I just had another ct scan Wednesday. My doctor called me Thursday and said their were nodules in both lungs. a couple of small ones and a larger one. How large I don't know. All I asked was if it was smaller than 2 inches and he said yes. He has ordered a pet scan which I am having Mon. March 25. I will get the results Thurs. Mar. 28th. I am very scared and I am wondering if this has happened to anyone else without it being metastic breast cancer 

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  • jocanuck1951
    jocanuck1951 Member Posts: 1,003
    edited March 2013

    Lizinmontreal, they found a nodule on my right adrenal no growth after 3 mons so considered benign. I stress about everything...I'm surprised I've not been admitted to the farm Lol!

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  • lizinmontreal
    lizinmontreal Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2013

    This waiting time is so difficult. I still haven't been called for the MRI appointment. I actually saw my GP this afternoon....went to cancel my MRI follow-up appointment. He said he'd look into it when I told him that I hadn't had my test yet.

    Katehudson25, I'm glad that your pet scan is coming up soon....just wondering how come your doc ordered a pet scan and mine an MRI. I wish you all the best.

    Hi JoCanuck195, great news that your adrenal gland nodule is benign. Yeah, I hear you about the stress.  All this stressing is for the birds!

    Liz

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Hi Liz,

    Waiting is the worst. I am trying to keep positive thoughts, and think about others while I wait. Luckily I won't have to wait too long. The hospital called with a cancellation today, and my pet scan is tomorrow morning. I will get the results when I see my dr. Fri. From what I know a pet scan is the follow up to a ct scan. My nodule is larger than yours and maybe that is why. Larger is more dangerous. I hope you can get your mri asap

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  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited March 2013

    Hi Katehudson. Normally the pET requires 2 day no carb program before the exam.  Will this allow enough time for you? Or are they not having you do that pre PET protocol?

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Hi Bevin my doctor said nothing about a 2 day no carb program, and neither did the hospital. When my apppontment was scheduled for Mon Mar 25 my doctor and the hospital said nothing about a 2 day carb program. My doctor is very thorough so I guess eating no carbs means nothing to him. Fortunately I don't eat a lot of carbs anyway, because of dieting. The only thing that was told to me was no food or drink other than water for 6 hours before the test

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  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited March 2013

    I guess the sugar in carbs gets absorbed by cancer so normally they are restricted during a PET.

    Good luck. I hope everything comes back negative! Keep us posted.

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Hi Bevin,

    Very strange that neither my doctor or the hospital said anything about carbs. I had the test this morning. I will get the results Friday. Thanks so much for your support

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  • wishiwere
    wishiwere Member Posts: 3,793
    edited March 2013

    {{Liz}} & {{Kate}}  Prayers and hugs sent that B9 is all you ladies hear from your docs too :)  I'm in a similar holding pattern with Docs and test it seems.  In Oct 12 had was dx with COPD from years of smoking (past life) and they did a CT with other test for that.  Seems there was a nodule in the upper left lung of 3mm size.  Concernced as you can imagine.  Not as much about the 1.7 cm nodule on the adrenal gland b/c from what I've read if it's not symptomatic, it's usually B9 till 3-4 cm or some such thing.

    Back to the repeat scan in Feb (134 days of growth) shows this nodule at 7 mm with other nodules now showing up.  Some could be from influenza I think from January as they are patterned as such.  Another one is not though and measures at 6mm.  These two concern me.  And as I've read it's quite normal to follow them up for up to 2 years after found to watch for growth patterns.  It's BS that with all the technical advances we've had, they can't figure these things out sooner than 2 years?  With the Doubling time, it will be huge in 2 years and most likely have spread :(  I'm sick thinking about it as you all are...Hang tight girls...waiting game will continue at it's normally sloooooooooooow pace :(

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    HI wishiwere,

    So sorry that you have these worries too. I have 3 tiny nodules and 1 large 1. My large one is 17mm. That terrifies me, since my breast tumor was only 4 mm. Somebody on this forum told me to stay positive thinking how unlikely it is that my caner metastasized. I am stage 1 grade 1 4mm tumor without lymph node involvement. My advice to you is to you is to think the same, because it is unlikely for you too. Three days after my ct screening I came down with the flu. I had the pet scan done yesterday while i have the flu. My doctor doesn't think the flu has anything to do with the nodules?? Hang in there and I wish you all the best Hugs, Kate

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    OMG I told my doctor I did not want any news over the phone, and his office just called and said Dr. Goldman wants to refer you to a urologist. I said I need to talk to him first and now I am shaking in fear. Breast cancer and nodules in my lungs what does it have to do with a urologist. OMG I must have cancer in another part of my body

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  • lizinmontreal
    lizinmontreal Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2013

    Oh, Kate it just sucks when people relay this type of news and you're just left there in limbo. 

    I don't understand the referral to a urologist either. I know it's probably too late now but why don't you phone the office first thing in the morning?

    Hugs coming your way...

    Liz

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  • lizinmontreal
    lizinmontreal Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2013

    wishiwere, praying for you too...this waiting IS torture. It's the 'not knowing'.

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    I found out that I have a tumor in my bladder, besides nodules in my lungs

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Thank you Liz and wishiwerehere for your support

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    On top of everything I have a cold tonight, and I am running a fever of 99.5 What in the world would have to do with a bladder mass or lung nodules???

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    I hate to be negative, but it seems to me that I have breast cancer that has spread to the bladder and the lungs. I will find out Friday

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  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited March 2013

    Kate - praying you receive good news tomorrow. I'm so sorry you're going through this.

    Bevin

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Thank you so much Bevin and Liz for your support

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited March 2013

    kate bless your heart...and I love your hair by the way...color and style. I know you are scared but it doesnt mean that cant do anything. I have to admit I am surprised with your cancer being such a low stage and grade. Did you have the Oncotype test? I had RADS too and I still smoke. Not a lot but still do. Using the patch to quit. My dr has never ordered a scan for me. I was DX in January 2011 with Stage 11, Grade l. I also had a lumpectomy. Recently I was at a meeting where a radiologist was out guest speaker. Turns out she was the one who did my biopsy. Anyway she said drs almost never do scans for women with early stage breast cancer. They just didnt see the need and coudnt justify it. My sister has scans but she has Lobular Carcinoma and they found a lesion on her lungs. They have removed it and all is well. She never smoked. I know there are no guarantees with early stage bc but still the odds are still in your favor. Keep us posted. Diane

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Hi Diane,

    Thank you for the compliment. I did not have an oncotype because I didn't do chemo. My dr. told me every test was fine. Regarding smoking I quit 2 and a half years ago. I used Nicotrol inhaler to quit. It took me only 4 weeks. Diane you must quit. About 6 months after radiation was completed I asked my dr. for a ct scan, because I was a former smoker, afraid of lung cancer. I had my forst ct scan 9 months ago, and it was negative. I asked for this ct scan, and that is where the lung nodules were discovered. Thank you so much for your support. Hugs, Kate

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited March 2013

    Definitely need to and working hard. Have quit several times before. Will try the inhaler. Are you taking Tamoxifen or Arimidex?

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Hi diane,

    I quit several times before too. This time I am done with it. The inhaler was perfect for me. I do not take hormonal therapy. At the time of my cancer my doctor told me it would improve my chances of not getting a recurrence by only a few per cent. I hate taking meds so I didn't do it. I don't think this is a recurrence, but I am not sure. It may just be a bladder tumor unrelared to bc. I will find out tomorrow. Hugs, Kate

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  • lemon68
    lemon68 Member Posts: 684
    edited March 2013

    Kate

    I know all these prayers from everyone are helping, more coming your way.

    HUGS.. take care tonight. XO

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Thank you so much lemon. Your support means everything

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    I went to see my medical oncologist today, and he said he really won't know more until after the results of my lung and bladder biopsy's. I asked him if this is related to bc, and he said he doesn't know until after the results of the biopsys. That it is possible that cancer cells traveled from my breast. He told me to stay off of the internet researching cancer, and to stay positive, and take one day at a time, and that is what I am trying to do. I have an appointment with a urologist Monday. I am not sure if its for a consultation, and a biopsy or if he will just do a consultation, and schedule the biopsy for another day this week. The hospital will call me with an appointment time for the lung biopsy this week. Thank you all so much for your support  

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  • lizinmontreal
    lizinmontreal Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2013

    Kate, I hope you had a relatively calm week end. This week you'll find out more..hoping all goes well.

    Nothing new to report about my situation. I'm still waiting for the call from the hospital. I found out that there is a board of doctors who study the MRI requisitions and prioritize them according to urgency. They received my doctor's request on March 8th so I guess I'm not high on the list. I guess that might be a good thing? Still, I'm nervous. I've lost 2 and a half pounds the last 3 weeks. 

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  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2013

    Hi Liz,

    I think that you not being called yet us an excellent sign. Thank God! I surely can understand that you would be feeling nervous. Somehow when we are worried we lose our appetite. Try and relax, and do force yourself to eat more.

    My weekend was calm, but today I have an appointment with a urologist, and I think I am having the bladder biopsy today. I am waiting for a call from the hospital to see when they will schedule the lung biopsy.

    Thamks so much for your support. How sweet of you to give me support while you are worried.




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