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I suspect I may have Lung Cancer

Marz
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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
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    Hi there Marz, stop torturing yourself. Google is dangerous. My wife had an xray in January and it showed a shadow. They sent her for a CT scan and that was confirmed as Cancer after 3 biopsies and the PET scan is only to show if it has gone to other organs. Going Private will cost thousands, but it is your choice, but having gone through a diagnosis of Small Cell Lung Cancer with my wife i think you are reading too much into nothing. Xrays show most things so if there was Cancer or Shadows they would have had you back.

    Stop Fretting

  • Offline in reply to Billythedog

    Hi Billythedog,

    I wish your wife all the very best with her battle and hope the treatment kicks it’s ***.

    Had she been having symptoms very long or was it found relatively early?

    All the best,

    Dave

  • Offline in reply to DaveW1970

    Dave Hi there. My wife had a terrible cough in July 2018 and GP dismissed it as COPD. New years day the cough was back. GP's again this time he was drunk and said lungs were clear but have some antibiotics. 2 days later she was coughing up blood! A&E done an xray and found a shadow that needed ckecking. 6 weeks down the line it was confirmed as Small Cell Lung Cancer (advanced to the heart and nodes around the lung) She is on Palliative Chemo as her life is limited. Upto 12 months. The chemo is hell. No quality of life . Just HELL!

    Thanks for enquiring

    God Bless

    Billythedog

  • Offline in reply to Billythedog

    That GP was a disgrace........especially given the reoccurrence of the cough. Shocking.

    My heart goes out to her and I truly hope the chemo proves to be worthwhile and she defies the odds. 

    Dave

  • Offline in reply to DaveW1970

    Hi Dave, Thanks for the comments and concern. Sadly her cancer is already advanced and its not lookin too clever. The chemo is tough, Etopiside and Carboplatin both every 3 weeks. The tumor has spread to the nodes and attached to the heart. She has had 6 cycles and is due another scan, but we have already been told its just Palliative Chemo and they are just extending her life.

    The GP was reported to the G.M.C who sent the complaint to a Doctor in London who said he had done everything right. Wheels within wheels. I just wish I could me him in a dark alley.

    Thanks again

    J 

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  • Offline in reply to DaveW1970

    Hi Dave, Thanks for the comments and concern. Sadly her cancer is already advanced and its not lookin too clever. The chemo is tough, Etopiside and Carboplatin both every 3 weeks. The tumor has spread to the nodes and attached to the heart. She has had 6 cycles and is due another scan, but we have already been told its just Palliative Chemo and they are just extending her life.

    The GP was reported to the G.M.C who sent the complaint to a Doctor in London who said he had done everything right. Wheels within wheels. I just wish I could me him in a dark alley.

    Thanks again

    J 

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