Hi, How fast is too fast?
9 days ago I had a CT scan as part of a lung screening exercise, 2 days later I had a phone call telling me that I had a Nodule and that I needed a CT-PET scan. In the phone call I was told it would be within the next 2 to 3 weeks and its just under 1cm so don't worry too much. Three days later (inc week end) I had another phone call saying our facilities are fully booked, do you mind going to anther hospital, I had no problem so said yes, I was then told that this other hospital will be in touch within the next couple of days. The next day I was contacted and I had the CT-PET yesterday (Saturday) after the scan I was told it will be with my requesting doctor in about a week. 2 days ago, Friday, I'd had another Phone call to tell me I had a meeting on Monday, 12 days after first having the CT scan. Hence my initial remark, 'How fast is too fast'.
I was holding it together! basically just me and my wife know about this so its difficult to know what to do or who to speak to. Am I basically (within reason) correct in thinking that the CT scan showed comprehensively that I have Lung Cancer and the CT-PET is to check if it as spread.
I'm the type of person that needs information to evaluate/come to terms with things.
Thanks for reading
Hello notnamedfred (I'll not call you Fred then?),
I got a little confused with days so read your post a couple of times - I'm concluding you had a call on Friday telling you you have an appointment on Monday (tomorrow) then you had the PET scan on Saturday (yesterday)?
Based on my lung cancer experience (I was diagnosed in 2014) my diagnosis involved:
I had surgery and chemo and have survived lung cancer free for over 12 years now.
Although it looks suspicious I don't think you can be absolutely sure what it is until a biopsy has been done.
Hopefully you'll know much more when you've had your meeting tomorrow, but based on my own experience you're very lucky that investigations so far have been done so very quickly.
I do hope you find out there is nothing to have been worried about, but do let us know if you can.
If you get to the stage that you wish to ask specific lung cancer questions I suggest you join our lung cancer forum and post there - the link is Lung cancer forum
All the best for now,
Derek.
Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
From my personal experience, though not with lung cancer, PET results are available to the referring consultant within three days so 12 days is not that fast. I had a chest CT as part of the work up for treatment where two nodules were found, one 7mm and the other 9mm. The larger one was sub pleural, I'm told a typical site for malignancy so I was told I would be re scanned three months later. There was no change in size and a PET later confirmed no activity. Fingers crossed you just have an old person's nodule which is really common and not nasty.
thank you, but not for the old bit, I may be 68 in body but I'm 18 in the mind
Hello again notnamedfred ,
I'm sorry it's still a waiting game.
I obviously don't know anything about what the intended treatment is likely to be but, based on my own experience, the path you're now being sent on (lung function test, echocardiogram) points towards surgery if this is appropriate following results of further tests including biopsy.
I'm afraid it can drag on a little, but all should be clear soon.
All the best, Derek.
Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
