I suspect I may have Lung Cancer

I've had pains in between my shoulder blades for about 10 days now , mostly at night when lying down on my sides. It has woken me a couple of times . It is not bad during the day but still there in the background. I did google symptoms and ended up here as I might need support. The most likely cancer Ive seen that match my sypmtms are Pancoast tumours (superior sulcus tumours) that start at the top of the lung and invade the chest wall. I read that they are known to be very hard to diagnose by X-ray.

I've booked an appointment with my surgery but my GP is on annual leave so a locum doctor will see me.

I would really appreciate any advice how to get the most out of this appointment. From my research I think I a PET-CT scan asap.

As a back story I have had 2 chest xrays and ultra sound in the past year that showed nothing suspicious. I presented with lumps on my left breast tissue that turned out to  be traumatic fat necrosis which are small cysts that developed at the site of a sporting injury I received last year from a cricket ball. they have sinced been absorbed by my body and no longer there.

 

What I do not want to wait for an X-ray that I read are not much use to diagnose most lung cancers. Should I be asking the doctor for an immediate referral for a PET-CT scan and even go privately if quicker?

Trying to keep busy as my head is in a blur.

Kind Regards very best wishes to all of you with your own situations.

 

I am 49 year old male , married  with 2 teenage sons. 

Parents
  • Hi Marz.

    Welcome to the forum.

    I am not a doctor, but I've been hanging around here for nearly 10 years so I've learned a few things. 

    Please try not to diagnose yourself using Dr Google.  It invariably leads you to the worse case scenario, and often to mis-information. I'm not sure where you heard that X-rays are not much use for diagnosis, because it's completely untrue.  A chest X-Ray is one of the most commonly used diagnostic tools. Pancoast tumours do show up on X-Rays so someone has been telling you nonsense, which is par for the course when using Google. 

    You've had two recent clear chest X-rays and a clear U/S so the chance that you've suddenly developed a tumour is very slim. More than likely you've caught a chest infection - there are definitely a lot of them going round my region, and I know several people who are on antibiotics for them right now. 

    So, I suggest you sit down, take a deep breath, and calm yourself. And stop using Google. 

    Explain your symptoms and history to the locum, and listen to what the locum says.  Right now, there is absolutely no reason to panic. 

  • Thank you Telemando. I did need to be told to stop googling. I didn't search at all yesterday and I had a nice day with a family barbeque  for my sons 18th Birthday. 

    Just seen a GP and my records say the last checst Xray I had was 18 months ago and he sent me immediately to the local walk in X-Ray unit. Should have results back in 2 days. 

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  • Thank you Telemando. I did need to be told to stop googling. I didn't search at all yesterday and I had a nice day with a family barbeque  for my sons 18th Birthday. 

    Just seen a GP and my records say the last checst Xray I had was 18 months ago and he sent me immediately to the local walk in X-Ray unit. Should have results back in 2 days. 

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