Ground glass opacities in both lung bases

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lorieg
lorieg Member Posts: 802
edited March 2018 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Has anyone else have ground glass opacities in the lungs?  I have stage IV IBC (only because of a cross axially node that along with my primary tumor has been removed and radiated).  I have been NED since my surgery in April of 2010.  I had a PET/CT at MDA which showed a stable lung nodule (since diagnosis in 8/09) but not FDG uptake anywhere.  I had a CT chest this week that showed the stable nodule again along with ground glass opacities in both lung bases.  They said it looked inflammatory/infectious.  I also had a "reactive" left hilar node.  I know ground glass opacities are non-specific and can be many things but they can also very rarely be associated with lymphangetic neoplastic spread (ie, cancer!).  I was told by my MDA onc not to worry about it, we will just follow it with another PET/CT in 3 months.  Telling a patient with a very aggressive cancer (or any cancer patient for that matter) not to worry is amusing!  ha! 

Anyway, I know lung nodules often turn out to be nothing and my "opacities" which are NOT nodular may go away, but I am still very worried.  I have NOT been sick at all in over a year, no cough, no shortness of breath, nothing.  I guess this is good but a recent infection would sure make me feel better about my "infectious" lung changes. 

FYI the changes are outside the rads field so not related to radiation.

Thoughts?  Anyone else told they have these ground glass opacities?  Again, they are not nodules.

Thanks, everyone!!

Hugs,

Lori (who is hoping to stay NED!)

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  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 802
    edited December 2010

    Well, I guess I am alone.....not sure if that is a good or bad thing!  LOL.

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  • gcpommom
    gcpommom Member Posts: 883
    edited December 2010

    During chemo in 2009, I had a pulmonary embolism, which they found via CT, and they also saw the ground glass thing in my lungs, but they told me it was an indication of pneumonia, and put me on antibiotics.  It was gone at my next CT.    Hope that helps?

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  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 802
    edited December 2010

    Sorry about your PE.  Yikes!  That does make me feel better, thanks.  I am not the only one!  Ha!  Just curious, did you have symptoms of pneumonia?  I suppose that may be hard to know if you were also coughing from the PE.  I have no symptoms of anything which is good and bad, I guess.

    Thanks so much!

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  • gcpommom
    gcpommom Member Posts: 883
    edited December 2010

    No, the only symptom that sent me to the ER was a weird pain under my lower left ribcage, I thought it was my spleen.  I have asthma, so nothing out of the ordinary with breathing difficulties.  I honestly don't remember if I had any coughing.  I was pretty sick from the chemo then, and just felt like crap all over.

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  • carcharm
    carcharm Member Posts: 486
    edited December 2010

    fyi

    The most common causes of ground-glass opacity include usual interstitial pneumonia, nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary oedema and pulmonary haemorrhage, and pneumonias (particularly pneumocystis carinii pneumonia). Less common causes include alveolar proteinosis, acute interstitial pneumonia or other causes of diffuse alveolar damage or the adult respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory bronchiolitis and early radiation pneumonitis.

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  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 802
    edited December 2010

    Thanks, gcpommom and carcharm!

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  • sadiesue69
    sadiesue69 Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2013

    Hi I am currently in the hospital getting discharged but from the cat scan they have done they found this.....grounglass opacities.... so I'm looking up some info...he said it may be from the past chemotherapy or radiation and have to be checked by obxolo

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  • Alicethecat
    Alicethecat Member Posts: 535
    edited November 2013


    Hello Sadie Sue


    Hope you're OK. This sort of discovery can be a bit of a shock as I found out recently.


    Could it be a sarcoid reaction?


    I've developed this but I haven't got mets.


    Best wishes


    Alice


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoidosis

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  • Rdrunner
    Rdrunner Member Posts: 309
    edited November 2013


    sadiesue, did they mention it could be sarcoidosis ? Sometimes will show as ground glass but ct will show enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes if its sarcoidosis

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  • GrammyR
    GrammyR Member Posts: 702
    edited November 2013


    Sadiesue69- If you have had previous radiation to the lungs, breast or collar bone area it may show abnormal CT. I had recent return of BC in the clavicle area and also had one nodule seen on CT on the opposite side lung. At the end of all the Rads I had a repeat scan because I had new very small swollen area. The CT on the BC side now shows an abnormality that is new but my the docs claim its related to Rads. I had no breathing issues except after Rads finished but has since pretty much gone. I have no way of knowing for sure until next scan in January. My MO said he would treat it w/the same hormone blockers regardless. Still I wish I knew for sure. It makes it so hard to plan behond the next scan. Hugs and try to take it one day at a time for now.

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  • Alicethecat
    Alicethecat Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2013


    Hello Sadie Sue, GrammyR and ladies


    In case this helps anyone, my chest xray showed a slight haze and I was worried. The docs wondered if I had sarcoidosis:


    http://www.patient.co.uk/health/sarcoidosis-leaflet


    Instead, they think it's probably just a chest infection and I've just finished a course of antibiotics and am feeling much better.


    Best wishes


    Alice





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  • Winters74
    Winters74 Member Posts: 25
    edited March 2018

    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?

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  • Alicethecat2
    Alicethecat2 Member Posts: 105
    edited March 2018

    Hello Winters74

    My diagnosis was sarcoidosis. Doing well.

    Hoping for the same for you.

    Alice



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  • Winters74
    Winters74 Member Posts: 25
    edited March 2018

    how big was you nodule before they found it? Do they know what caused the sarcoidosis

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  • Micmel
    Micmel Member Posts: 9,450
    edited March 2018

    if you have an actual report that can be read. PM DJ mammo. He used to read reports and such for a living. He helps anyone he can. Maybe he has heard of this before. He's very helpful. Just a thought to help! ~M~

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