I was diagnosed in June 2023 with IDC. I had a WLE-Lumpectomy and Sentinel node removal. Then another Lumpectomy to gain clear margins. All went well and no spread to my Lymph nodes, which was great news. I then had 5 days of Radiotherapy, which was fine. I am now on Letrozole and Andronic acid and Calcium tablets for 5 years.
Have been doing ok since and my first mammogram last August was fine. In the beginning of January this year a dry cough started and has not stopped. I put it down to being Asthmatic and having stress, as I had recently lost my youngest sister to Throat cancer which had spread to her breast, lungs and spine. My usual asthma medications and inhalers, did not seem to control the cough, which they usually do. I have been attending my local surgery for the past 8 weeks and have been on two lots of steroids, acid reflux pills, steroid nasal spray and antihistamine pills. The cough is still here. I had a CT scan recently that showed fibrous tissue in my right lung, which they think the radiotherapy probably caused. I knew that was a risk I took when I agreed to the radiotherapy. Plus two small nodules in my left lung. Which they said they will keep an eye on, and I will have another CT scan in 3 months.
I know I am probably overthinking everything and am anxious about the nodules to be honest. It is such a long wait. I just hope that they are just infection or inflammation. We will see. Sorry to go on so much, but the people on here are the only ones who really understand why you worry over every little thing, especially after going through treatment and fighting this horrible disease.
Iâm so sorry you are going through such a worrying time. Waiting to get answers on an issue like that is just hell, and sometimes there are no definitive answers.
When I had a diagnosis 17 years ago my surgeon strongly advised me not to have further scans as, and I quote âthey just show up too many irrelevant things and create months of anxietyâ. (Different when they are following up a new symptom though, I know). Medical scans are not a precise science which I think is surprising to many people. Even PET/CT scans canât be certain if a nodule is cancer. My brother has grappled with this issue for a year with prostate cancer. All his lung ânodulesâ have now vanished and they are treating him as primary cancer again. They are still unsure after 3 PET/CTâS!!
So, no real words of comfort, just sympathy. Perhaps learn mindful meditation techniques to stay calm, keep busy and get on and enjoy everything positive in your life while time passes. At least your initial diagnosis seemed fairly uncomplicated, and the hormone tabs would be âprotectiveâ
Sending you lots of hugs, and I so hope it all turns out fine.
Thank you so much Eily, I appreciate your message. I have been so positive all through my diagnosis and treatment and try to be like that most days. This disease has affected so many of my family in the last few years, both my parents, my brother, my youngest sister who sadly lost her fight just before Christmas 24, so I suppose I am just feeling down and panicking over something that is probably ok. I think the worry never really leaves your mind. I hope your brother gets through this too. Thank you again, take care x
Hi Tessa11, Iâm sorry to hear about your worries about a lung nodule. I, too had a similar experience last year. Iâd gone to the GP because Iâd lost weight and I wanted to check that I hadnât had a return of the breast cancer Iâd had in 2015. They sent me for a CT scan which showed up some enlarged lymph nodules in my chest. I, of course was thinking the worst but a bronchoscopy (where they take a sample of the nodule) showed it to be non-cancerous but a bit of sarcoidosis. This could have been my body over-reacting to the chemotherapy or the radiotherapy, or it might have been dating back when I had a chest infection a few years ago.
I found that they acted quickly and were very thorough in all the investigations I had, I expect youâll find the same. The fact that your lymph nodes were clear (as were mine) is good news.
Good luck and let us know how you get on x
Thank you Nika. I will do. X I am hoping it is something similar to your results or related to my asthma to be honest. At least they are keeping an eye on it with another CT scan in 3 months time. Hopefully the nodules will have disappeared .
Interesting that your nodules were sarcoid Nikka. I nearly mentioned that as a possibility.
Tessa is anyone looking wider at the nodule issue (your GP might address that for you)? Sometimes an alternative diagnosis settles the issue (not that we wish for other problems).
You are right Tessa, that you never stop âlooking over your shoulderâ after a cancer diagnosis. Over the 17 years my back pain was a slipped disc, my cough was a sinus drip, my extreme lethargy was hypothyroidism, my weight loss was coeliac disease . At least my GP takes me seriously if I rock-up with something, but I try hard to ignore trivia.
That is interesting, I have never heard of sarcoidosis. It was my doctor who ordered a CT scan because the cough was not going and as a precautionary due to my sister losing her fight to lung cancer in the end, (which I am pleased he did). They said it would be a watch and wait, with another CT scan in 3 months time, then see if the nodules have grown or they go away. I am ok with that, but it seems a long time away. Trying to just get on with things and not worry. Itâs not easy is it? Xx
Hi @tessa11 sorry to hear about your worries. I also had something similar after I finished treatment. On one of the CT scans my oncologist ordered they saw opaque glassy shadow/nodules. They diagnosed me with fibrosis on my right lung where I had my mastectomy and radiotherapy afterwards. I saw a lung specialist had a bunch of other tests and yes, it was decided that I need a very strong dose of steroids for 6 months. I was also on Abemaciclib at the time and my oncologist wasnât sure if this was the most likely reason or the radiotherapy. I had bronchoscopy and it showed that is from the radiotherapy. I had an awful reaction to the steroids during chemo and hated them so wasnât very keen but my oncologist and lung specialist were very persuasive and I had to take them. Have you seen a lung specialist? Maybe worth asking for a referralâŠjust to be on the safe sideâŠ
@Eily quite the opposite I think that PET scans are really sensitive tool for finding mets. Of course you need biopsy and other tests to confirm but they are the first indicator of something going onâŠotherwise why are all cancer patients having those scans?!?
@mun4o I agree totally that PET scans are a very sensitive tool to find mets. My point was that they are not absolutely diagnostic (cant differentiate between mets and other active lesions) and when lesions are too small to biopsy we are left in a watch and wait situation which can cause a lot of anxiety. When there are symptoms present though of course scans are the best course of action
No, I have not seen a lung specialist yet. It is all, âtry different thingsâ like the nasal spray etc at the moment. If those do not work then I will be referred to a ENT specialist. Once I have the second CT scan, it will depend on what the results of that are. So just a waiting game Iâm afraid.
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