Secondary cancer diagnosis

Hi The Purple One

My husband was diagnosed with advanced oesophageal cancer in Dec 2021, with mets to the lungs (2 spots) and liver (one lesion). The primary tumour and lymph nodes were picked up by endoscope & biopsies but the 'distant' mets were only seen on CT scan. 4 months later, halfway through chemo, there was shrinkage in the tumour & nodes but no change to the mets. We did question whether they were connected but time will tell. We are waiting for the 2nd 3-monthly scan results to see what is happening now. A biopsy to the lung would be v invasive so not recommended atm. The lymph node involvement ruled out any op from the start anyway. But we live in hope that things were not quite as bad as first indicated.

Worth asking any questions to your oncologist though, for clarification. Good luck!

M

Martha G, Thank you so much for your reply. I wish you and your husband all the strength in the World to get through this. It sounds like there is some hope there for both of us as I was recently told by a macmillan nurse the only way to definitely confirm would be with a biopsy. Please keep in touch and let me know how your husband is doing as I feel very alone. First oncology appointment on wednesday and all very daunting 

1. My husband has this cancer and they found white spots on his lungs too.  Investigating it, they've told us it's not cancer and no one has said any more about it.   There's so much isn't there to consider.   God bless you x 

Jbaker34,, thank you for your reply. I am so pleased that your husband had good news about the white spots. It doesn’t seem right to confirm such a thing without further biopsies or tests does it? How is he doing with the oesophageal cancer? Wishing you all the strength in the World to get through this too x

Perhaps they know by looking,  I don't know to be honest, and I will ask again.

Thanks for your lovely message,  he needs surgery,  complicated by his previous cancer, and other operations,  we're waiting to see if they can do it,  God bless you x 

Let me know how things go and fingers crossed xx

Hi - I have kidney cancer (diagnosed from CT scan and the type confirmed by biopsy) which has spread to the lungs.  Same secondary cancer as you, but different primary.  My secondary in the lungs was diagnosed  from the CT scan.  My consultant showed me the scan and talked me through it.   You could see tiny white spots in my lungs and he said these were cancer.  "But how can you tell, they just look like white spots to me, like other white areas on the scan?" I asked him.  He explained that these white spots were unconnected to anything, whereas other white spots were.  Made sense to me.