Mass on Lung....urgent referral - should we be worried??

[stressedbeyond123]

Hi, long time lurker, first time poster (so in the wise words of Miranda - "bear with")

Last Tuesday (9th), my mum had an x-ray and was told results would be 7-14 days. Radiographer checked the x-ray just to make sure it was clear and wouldn't need to be done again, when she came out the room she told my mum that the x-ray would be with GP tomorrow and to ring in the morning.

anyway 5pm the same evening as having the x-ray she received a call from the GP saying they needed to see her urgently. They opened the surgery early Wednesday to see her. All they said was that they have seen a "mass" on the left lung and referred her for urgent CT Scan. She received a call on Thursday (11th), saying her appt for Scan was on Friday, and an appt with the Consultant has been made for tomorrow (16th) to discuss results etc.

We are all thinking the worst, and i know what it looks like, but surely this can also be for something simple(ish) like an absyss or something - or do you think they know what they have seen but just need it confirmed??

I know we can do nothing more than wait until tomorrow when results are discussed, but the scenarios running through my head are driving me insane.

Has anyone had something similar to this and had a good outcome??

TIA x

[Mythreeknights]

Hi Stressed wow - your family has been through the ringer, and hopefully the treatment has been successful. Enjoy all the time you have with her and look after yourself too. I lost my mum a year ago tomorrow, so I'm feeling nostalgic about the precious time we had together.

[stressedbeyond123]

Hi everyone - just thought i would give an update.

its been a bonkers few months. It turns out that it was Lung Cancer, Stage 4. Mum has had 3 rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and also an op to remove part of the lung, and numerous other drugs, with a little op thrown in for good measure.

she is doing well, and slowly getting her health back. She has an appt with the Consultant next month to do another scan/other tests and we should know then whether or not the treatment has been successful, and what her prognosis is.

I have to say our NHS have been outstanding, from the time it was caught to now, we have had so much support and help. So hopefully, next month we get the news the cancer has gone, and not spread anywhere....

We are being optimistic, she has handled this with such strength and dignity and we would be doing her wrong to not do the same. We all feel that the news next month will be good, if not, then we'll deal with it when the time comes x

[stressedbeyond123]

Still not really Sure Pikachu - they wanted to do a biopsy as they were not happy to wait after seeing her blood results.

Biopsy has been done and an appointment made for the 6th Sept to see the consultant. So basically, its back to more waiting xx

[PikachuSayBoo]

How did it go stressed?

[littlemissneela]

I hope your mum gets some positive news today as to what the shadow is so she can be treated quickly and get better

[PikachuSayBoo]

Thinking of you this morning.

[stressedbeyond123]

oh my word Jennie what a terrible time for you - i am so glad and relieved for you that your partner is ok now! it really is such a worrying time.

latest update mum received a call from the hospital yesterday, they have looked at her bloods and want to see her this morning. She has an appointment at 10.20. I am unable to go, so my sister and her husband and going down with her and my dad today fingers crossed its not bad news and they just want to look into things in a bit more detail or something xx

[jennieflower]

Hi op, I read your thread on Monday and didn't get around to replying as I was at work but I've been thinking of you as we had a similar experience a few months ago.

Late last November, DP age 45 with a 30 year smoking history had an incident, he was suddenly struggling to breathe, he's always had asthma and has had 2 major attacks in the 15 years I've known him but he said it felt different to asthma, this was on a Sunday afternoon and I'd just put an expensive joint of beef in the oven so we agreed to see how it went over the next few days. He said he felt better after a few days but still had chest and shoulder pains. Over the Christmas break (he's a workaholic) he made an appointment with the GP who referred him for a chest x-Ray in the new year.

When the radiographer took the x-ray we noticed the level of care change, he initially said he only needed one pic but quickly decided to take lots more as he needed to get a more detailed image. The x-ray was late in the afternoon and he received a call from the GP first thing the next day asking us to go in immediately to discuss the results, it turned out that he had a huge mass on one lung and it had completely collapsed, we were referred to a lung specialist and within days we saw him and were assigned a lung cancer nurse and given Macmillan leaflets.

Over the next few days he had a CT scan, I spoke with the nurse over the phone a lot and she told me that it was almost definitely lung cancer, he then had a PET scan which triggered more tests, next up was a bronchioscopy and lung biopsy, there was approximately a week between each test which felt like a lifetime, we felt that things weren't moving quickly enough to start treatment.

By some fluke, DP was very lucky to be diagnosed, with ABPA -allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and not lung cancer, he had suffered an allergic reaction to a spore he had inhaled at some point which had caused his lungs to fill with fungus and his immune system had crashed, he had lost weight and had the joint pain and chest infections often associated with lung cancer. We were so lucky, the treatment was 6 months of high dose steroids to strengthen his lungs and shrink the mass and he's just got the all clear from the lung specialist. It was a horrible time for us all and we are so glad that he's going to be ok. I hope you don't mind me sharing our story and will keep your mum in my thoughts.

[stressedbeyond123]

They've taken a pragmatic approach for now as to what is best for mum. She's not strong enough to have a biopsy done as she will need a GA and they said its to risky with how poorly she is - her lung function is quite poor atm. Hopefully the AB's do the trick and there has been some change in the xray when she next has it done. If no change then its down the biopsy route.

So more waiting and worrying, but it has to be said we are feeling a little more optimistic x

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

It seems reasonable, hope the ABs work and it's a treatable abscess.

[LavenderRains]

well at least there is still a possibility of an absess. Doesn't help you with the waiting and worrying tho!

[timelytess]

Thanks for the update. for your mum, you and your family.

[stressedbeyond123]

Evening - well we went to the appt, had a lovely look at some pics of her lung and unfortunately are still none the wiser!!
The x-ray and CT scan were inconclusive. Due to her ill health at the moment they are not willing to do a biopsy as they say it is not without risks and they don't feel she is well enough to go through an invasive procedure. They are 50/50 as to whether its cancer or an absyss. They took some bloods, sent her home with some antibiotics.
She has another appt in 3 weeks for another x-ray and to see the consultant. If things are still the same she will be admitted for further tests/biopsy xx

[IJustAteTheKidsFoodAgain]

I hope it went ok OP, thinking of you

[HerdsOfWilderbeest]

We will be thinking of you.

[cmsconfused]

Thinking of you today

[stressedbeyond123]

Thank you everyone for your kind words....her appointment is at 2.20 today. myself and my husband are taking her and dad for a bit of moral support.

will let you know how we get on - fingers crossed the news is good xx

[PotteringAlong]

Brilliant that she's stopped - every day she's stopped will help. Good luck today

[Knittedfrog]

Thinking of you today, hope all goes well.

[CattDamon]

Okay her symptoms are red flag symptoms & a mass on the lungs will mean she gets a referral to a rapid access clinic, as there is the possibility of cancer but also many other things such as sarcoidosis, emphysema, asbestosis etc.

Firstly they will most likely do a CT scan as X-Ray's aren't very good at showing what the mass is. Then if the CT shows anything worrying they may choose to do a PET CT scan and/or a CT-guided biopsy/mediastinoscopy under GA.

Luckily, these Rapid Access clinics run very fast, and your mum is likely to have appointments every week or so, with results and multidisciplinary team meeting discussions to agree on course of action, so you will hopefully be well informed.

[IJustAteTheKidsFoodAgain]

I know it's hard when you want to be positive but can't let yourself not expect the worst (if that makes any sense) but if it is cancer it doesn't have to be the very worst news. we are so lucky to have the technology we do, I hope for all of your sakes that it's something simple though.

[Ladymuck]

Ultimately, they won't diagnose until they can do a biopsy, but they will be scanning to get as much information about the location of the mass as possible and to see whether it is close to nodes etc, which will help them decide how best to perform a biopsy. Given the possibility of chemo, they will want to avoid any unnecessary invasive procedures.

[stressedbeyond123]

Yes she has x

[Poptart27]

Good luck. I hope your mum gets good news.

[lovelybangers]

Sorry to hear this OP.

One the one hand it is great that your DM is being booked in so swiftly to find out what is happening. On the other of course -it's worrying.

I know very little about this - but my Father has recently been diagnosed with lung cancers. He is a similar age to your mother. He livesin USA so medical procedures might differ - but he is having loads of radiotherapy (daily) and chemo (weekly) which they are pretty sure will get rid of it.

He sounds tired but confident that he will be fine after all this.

to keep your spirits up