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Original poster

Would you like to follow along? Is it Lung Cancer or not?

34 replies

PonyPals · 27/02/2026 03:18

I am only posting in here for traffic as I need some hand holding I guess.

My dad 68 (who is awesome and I am extremely close to) has not been feeling well, horrible cough and night sweats. Took him to the GP and they thought pneumonia. Same day Xray followed by a CT scan as they saw something on the lungs (can’t complain about Australian health care, they have been amazing)

they told us he has a 5.3cm mass with necrosis (dying tissue) which is what is probably causing the cough.

Referred to the lung cancer centre and they did a series of tests.

brain CT - clear
PET - clear no spread apart from mass and nearby nodes enlarged
Broncho biopsy- and we just got results and they are inconclusive… they said no malignant cells were found but some abnormal cells were found but they don’t know what they are.

They are still convinced it is cancer but want him to take antibiotics for 2 weeks and then do a CT guided biopsy.

i am so confused… one second it is cancer and now they are saying it might be an infection but most likely still Lung Cancer
I am so stressed and feel like I can’t eat or function

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brightnails · 01/04/2026 20:36

this is the first time I’ve seen this thread pop up but I’m so pleased for your dad and yourself @PonyPalsplease enjoy the 2nd chance together. @Jo162I hope you have the best treatment possible wish it was different for you X

FrodisCapering · 01/04/2026 17:07

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shellyleppard · 27/03/2026 08:12

@PonyPals that's amazing news about your dad, such a relief for all of you x @Jo162 sending the biggest of hugs to you x here if you need anything x

Original poster
PonyPals · 27/03/2026 08:05

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I thought I would come back and update this in case anyone goes through the same thing in the future.
we went to see the specialist and the latest CT scan is showing that the tumour has decreased by 2cm. The specialist said that based on all this dad doesn’t have cancer and they said it was just a very bad infection. They can’t tell what caused it or if it doesn’t turn into something malignant in the future but at this stage they just want to monitor it so we just need to do another CT scan in 3 months.
we are still all in shock. This is actually a miracle and a second chance at life.
I will never forget how after the first appointment my dad said that maybe he will just have to take some pills and it will go away… and I thought wow he is so naive and this will be a long road.. and after all that He was right.
I wish you all the best @Jo162stay strong and turn to us, if you need to.

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DyslexicPoster · 23/03/2026 18:15

Do you have treatment plan yet Jo? It's good the scans was fast turnaround at least

5128gap · 23/03/2026 15:02

My only advice having been through similar with both parents is to take it one day at a time. And until you have been told categorically he has a particular condition, proceed as though he hasn't. This is not about living in false hope, its about meeting challenges one at a time. At this point there is no way of knowing what your dad's journey is going to be. It could be relatively easy, or it could be very challenging. But now, today, he has not been told anything catastrophic. So stay in the moment and meet tomorrow when it comes.

Jo162 · 23/03/2026 14:11

Thank you so much PonyPals, i had the MRI yesterday re Liver i got tgere a bit earlier as i collapsed at home, i think due to medicatiion for blood pressure, but ended up having MRI, then CT for head (no cancer) in brain yet thankfully & then had to wait 4 hours for another CT from chest to abdomen, just had a phone call off Oncology nurse & she said its fingers crossed its no in my liver else i'l have even less time! On another note i am so pleased re your father fingers crossed he definately hasnt cancer anywhere.xxx

Original poster
PonyPals · 21/03/2026 23:27

We got the results from the biopsy and no cancer is detected. However the doctors are certain he has cancer but they just can’t prove it. So now tomorrow we do the CT scan

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Original poster
PonyPals · 21/03/2026 23:22

Oh @Jo162 I am so so sorry to hear your results. When I started this thread I wasn’t even sure I knew what I wanted from it but I am glad that you found it and hope it gives you a tiny bit of comfort.

where abouts in the world are you from?

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sellthebigissue · 19/03/2026 23:01

Jo162 · 19/03/2026 21:56

Thank you all, you all mean a great deal to me right now, Today i have had my results!!!! Agressive small cell Lung Cancer!!!!! The hospital had their MDT meeting on monday so booked me Oncology appt for tomorrow after giving me the results, they say as of today its stage 3 but theyve booked me an MRI Scan for sunday on my Liver??? & depending on that i could be stage 4!!! theyve said they want me to start Chemo asap. It cant be cured but it may slow things down. As u all might of guessed i'm absolutely devastated in my own little way!!!!!

So sorry to read this. X

sellthebigissue · 19/03/2026 23:01

Thinking of your dad, OP x

mindutopia · 19/03/2026 22:25

Fingers crossed for your dad. They will want to do the new CT scan to compare to the pre-antibiotics one.

I have cancer. The CT scan can’t tell if a mass is cancer. It just looks like a mass. But it can track changes in size. The CT guided biopsy was literally just to get the sample, not to be used for comparison purposes. Now that he’s had the antibiotics, they’ll be looking to see if the mass shrunk (a good indication it’s an infection). Or if it got bigger (more of an indication it could be cancer, combined with the biopsy). It’s great they are being so responsive. Hope you get some answers soon.

DyslexicPoster · 19/03/2026 22:04

Oh no I had such a good feeling that it would be OK. I'm really sorry it's crap news. I hope the biopsy wasn't to hideous. I will pray it's not stage 4. Massive hugs. This is so unfair. Life is just so unfair at times

Jo162 · 19/03/2026 21:56

Thank you all, you all mean a great deal to me right now, Today i have had my results!!!! Agressive small cell Lung Cancer!!!!! The hospital had their MDT meeting on monday so booked me Oncology appt for tomorrow after giving me the results, they say as of today its stage 3 but theyve booked me an MRI Scan for sunday on my Liver??? & depending on that i could be stage 4!!! theyve said they want me to start Chemo asap. It cant be cured but it may slow things down. As u all might of guessed i'm absolutely devastated in my own little way!!!!!

Jo162 · 18/03/2026 00:31

Thank you so much for reaching out,i had my Colonoscopy on Sunday & no cancer detected, diagnosed Severe Diverticulosis, so so Pleased ,i asked why it lit up in the PET Scan which is a worry in itself they said because it showed abnormality. So just this thursday to get over now ,the results of the lung biopsy but i'e a feeling this isnt going to be as good news, only a feeling,but will come back here after the appointment,xx

Jo162 · 18/03/2026 00:25

DyslexicPoster · 04/03/2026 23:27

Good luck tomorrow Jo. Hopefully you will get answers soon for both of you

Thank you,I had colonoscopy on sunday, No cancer detected in bowl/colon, so what the PET Scan lit up was Severe Diverticulosis , So pleased ,just the Lung lymph node biopsy results to come on thursday. fingers crossed but i havent a good feeling for this one.xx

Original poster
PonyPals · 15/03/2026 23:22

So confused! No result as yet from the CT guided biopsy but they want to do another CT

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Original poster
PonyPals · 15/03/2026 12:09

Thank uou all. My dad is on antibiotics and is feeling so much better. We are praying that it is some horrible infection but the chances that it is not lung cancer are very very slim. We find out the results at the end of his week.
@Jo162 how are you? How did you go? This must be such a worrying time for you!

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MarchWindsAnd · 05/03/2026 23:48

All the best for the biopsy tomorrow - it may already be today in Australia.

Jo162 · 05/03/2026 23:47

Thank you so much,xx

Jo162 · 05/03/2026 23:44

Shellyleppard Thank you so much, nearly changed my mind as my appointment was 10.15 but i didnt have it until 1.30pm & i was thinking of them that say don't have a biopsy of the lymph nodes as it makes it spread, i went ahead took a large sample & knocked my front tooth out, cant find it so straight to x ray to see if it was in the lungs but no, anyway now to look forward to my bowel biopsy on saturday . had enough today very emotional especially when i had no symptoms & it was off the back of a routine lung screen . Results appointment is the 19th,but i really appreciate your message,thank you so much.xx

shellyleppard · 04/03/2026 23:38

@Jo162 good luck for tomorrow 🫂❤️💐🙏

DyslexicPoster · 04/03/2026 23:27

Good luck tomorrow Jo. Hopefully you will get answers soon for both of you

Jo162 · 04/03/2026 23:12

Fingers crossed for your Dad Ponypals, i'm having a bronchoscopy biopsy tomorrow 😬dreading it, they did a lung screen last year found a small nodule on right upper lung, then a follow on CT screen feb where they said it had shrunk from 9mm to 7mm but there was now 2 more a 30mm & a 9mm in upper right lung ,so i had a pet scan which showed the 30mm very bright, & a couple in lymph nodes by chest & 1 in the bowel? so as the 30mm is too close to the chest? they are taking a sample from the nodes instead ,so that tomorrow & then a bowel 1 on saturday,then follow up appointment on the 19th obviously for the results. Ive felt absolutely fine apart from a bit of back ache high up, but nothing else so dont fancy tomorrow but i'll have too. just worried as i feel fine so just worried about the results etc. hoping they sort your Dad as the waiting is the worse.x

Original poster
PonyPals · 27/02/2026 08:41

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and comments. As a PP said they do brain scans as this is whew lung cancer likes to spread too. The doctors are seeing this huge mass and it doesn’t look good to them so they think it is most likely malignant but all the tests are inconclusive. It is such a hard time for us. The not knowing is just horrible.
the follow up biopsy is on 6th March and then a week later I hope we finally get the answers

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