Lung mass

Hi all, it's been a rollercoaster few weeks. My dad was taken into hospital after blood tests showed a platelet count of 2 and he had bruising (also was just after Covid jab). After various tests we were told a preliminary bone marrow biopsy hadn't shown anything nasty and they diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia and prescribed steroids. We were all relieved and he went back to work.

After a week he felt unwell, fever, high BP, loss of appetite are some of the symptoms. He was admitted to hospital and we were told he had pneumonia. After a chest X-ray they wanted to do a CT scan after seeing a shadow. CT scan shows a 9cm mass in the upper left lobe but there was no sign of a mass anywhere else on the CT scan (from neck down including a prostate check). He now has to wait until next week for a biopsy and then however long after for the results to come back.

The doctor and respiratory team have both commented on how well he looks and said the mass had lots of components and they had more questions than answers. Just wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar or what is meant by lots of components? From reading lots of stories most people know from the CT alone that there is cancer (or at least just need the biopsy to confirm). Just confused as to why they still have more questions than answers?

It's so hard not being able to visit in hospital and to ask questions! My Dad hates a fuss and gets frustrated when we're all asking him questions.

Thank you in advance

  • Hi DD85,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. It sounds like it's been a tough time recently and I'm sure this must be difficult especially with the lack of information and certainty.

    Hopefully the biopsy will provide the answers that yourselves and the medical team need.

    I'm not too sure what their comments that you mention mean. If at any point you feel you'd like to talk things through with one of our nurses, who may be better able to advise, you can reach them on 0808 800 4040 (Monday-Friday, 9-5).

    I hope you find out more soon about all this.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Hi just wondered how you got on with your dad ,

    my mum 66, went for routine blood test some thing come up in her white blood cells . Then dr booked her in for ct scan , that night they phoned and said there was a growth in her upper left part of her lung, they wouldn't say it was cancer even when she asked , she had biopsies / blood tests / ct scans / pet scans and breathing test , and we still have not been told anything , and this was all done last week, 

    I can't sleep or get my head round this , 

    my mum had no symptoms of lung cancer other than she lost. A stone in weight since last year ,  so I am besides myself , 

     

    hope you had results and your dad is ok x

  • Hi, sorry to hear about your mum. Unfortunately we are at the very early stages of this...his biopsy was cancelled last week because they didn't have any beds! He now has to wait until Tuesday for his biopsy. Nothing else is happening until we have those results. The respiratory doctor did say that as it is the upper lobe he would be less likely to experience the symptoms such as a cough etc. I hope you find answers for your mum soon, I will let you know if we get any answers x

  • Oh no I'm so sorry you are having to wait because  no beds available this is awful on everyone, the waiting game,  please keep us updated on how it all goes for you need to message or chat I am here. Xx

  • Hi, did you get any more info on your mum? Hope she is doing ok? 
    My dad has been diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. Doesn't appear to be in lymph nodes or spread but waiting for some results to come back before they decide course of treatment.

  • Hiya,

    im so sorry I have not seen this message to reply to,

    so my mum got a call 3 weeks ago 

    telling her she has lung cancer and it is in her left lung and adrenal gland,

     

    they said they were sending of for more biopsies to determine treatment,They finally called her on Friday last week 

    she has an apt this Thursday to discuss ,

    she still does not kno the name of the lung cancer she has , or the grade or the stage or anything , 

     

    i feel like my heart has been ripped out, 

     

    how is your dad hve they started treatment for him, if it has not spread that is really good and there's so much they can do if it's definitely contained in his lung, 

    im just praying they can help my mum, the oncologist did say it was treatable but not operable tht o do know,  but what does treatable mean to profession medical experts . To how I interpreted it ? 
     

    let me kno how u are getting on xxxxxx 

  • Hi, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. It's so hard waiting for a plan of action and the details of what is wrong. My father has an appointment Friday to discuss his case including treatment options etc. Hoping to have more answers so at least we know how to move forward and what we are facing.

     

    It is a scary time for everyone and just trying to be positive to support my parents and try and help them stay positive too. My dad is quite fatigued and doesn't feel like eating so has lost weight. He is managing to eat but it's a struggle for him at the moment as he doesn't see to have an appetite. He is quite small so just concerned with how he will cope with the treatment they offer him but he is trying to get out for walks to build up strength as best he can.

     

    How is your mum coping? Hopefully you have more answers Thursday and a plan going forward x

  • Hi DD85

    iM sorry to hear your dad is not eating great,  my mum is still eating and doing every day stuff as she has no symptoms, problem Is she is not sleeping now as she is constant worried so she is shattered in the day, my mum is very tiny she got weighed before this all started and was under 8 stone now she is probably under 7 stone, 

    this is so hard for them, I find myself crying after I leave my mums as I just can not understand or get my hear round it, I think it's the waiting game, not knowing what's going to Happen, they say it's treatable but what do they mean,  my mum has that oncologist on Thursday and I have asked her to find out what they can do about the weight loss, they might be able to give them steroids or something, will let you kno so you have some idea,  one of my friends at work , 50 years ago her dad had lung cancer it was in one lung and it hadn't spread they gave him a tablet to kee it under control , he continued living for another 15-17 years and this was 50 years ago, he continued all his day to day life stuff and working, so there is hope, I think once your dad has a plan of action aswell and when they start treatment it will be better, but I am to scared of the treatment and what it will do to my poor mum, 

    please let me know how your dad gets on,

    got to Be positive and vision positive outcome, even if it is tearing us up inside,  will always reply if you need a chat xxxxxx 

  • Hi Rosie2008,

     

    How did your mums appointment go? Hopefully you found more answers and it was good news.

    My dad had his appointment today and the told him it is locally advanced lung cancer and it is in the lymph nodes (which we were previously told they weren't) and the drainage system (not sure what this is but that's what my mum said). They chose not to discuss prognosis as they want to do a PET scan to check the brain. Not sure if it is treatable or whether they will just try and manage it. He has had a problem with his platelet count (since the vaccine) so they are concerned the treatment will make him ill with low platelets. His latest count was up and he has now been brought off medication for it - hoping his count stays up so they can start treatment when they know what they want to do.

  • Hi DD85

    I'm really sorry you have been told different news to what you was told, this is so awful for all of you, 

    so my mum has been told she has a small growth in her left corner of her lung,  it has gone to her adrenal gland, as soon as the cancer leaves the primary place even if all the other lung is not full of cancer it is classed as stage 4 

    The cancer is non small cell adrenocarcinoma, 

     

    (I knew it was going to be stage 4 as soon as they said a couple weeks ago it was in adrenal gland, as I spoke to cancer research and Macmillan nurses and they said as soon as it leaves the primary lung it is stage 4) 

    so all the biopsies we have been waiting for have done brilliantly with the immune therapy treatments, so they are now going to do on Sunday a stem cell biopsies to see if my mum can have stem cell treatment /  Which is a drug trial,

    they have said she will hve to have 2 lots of chemo and immune therapy. And if all goes well with the stem cell and she matches she can have that at uch in London as a drug trial, 

    the oncologist sounded very positive , he did say it is not curable but treatable, , and the medicines have come such a long way over the years, 

    have not asked what time frame, but they did say if my mums walks out with no treatment she would only be here average 9 months , 

     

    ok so what we got to look at with your dad is making sure his platlet count  goes to a normal level ,

    the pet scan will tel them where any of the cancer is and if it may or may of not spread so they can plan the best treatment, 

    is your dad at home and resting ? Or is he in the hospital, 

    hopefully when they do these tests they will

    have a plan of action for your dad,  there is so much they can do to help with pain and prevent it spreading,  / shrink it eliminate it, freeze it out/  but with lung i don't think they like to say it is cureable. 
     

    try make sure your dad rests and eats as much as he can 

    I kno this is awful as I am

    going through the same awful

    gut wrenching feeling,  x  but we have to hope there are treatments we just have to 

    hoping your dad gets some results and a plan very soon xx