Lymph node showing on scan for lung cancer - is it always cancer?

Hi Star68  I know how scary all of this, and the waiting is absolute torture. Lymph node involvement “could “ mean the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, but the only one who can tell you this is the oncologist, we would all be guessing. Everyone’s cancer is different, so we cannot generalise.

How have you been able to see the results of the PET scan? I would suggest you wait until the oncologist has all the information and test results back, you are just going to cause yourself more stress seeing results without all of the information. 

Hi Chelle

Thanks for coming back to me.  The waiting is torture and I'm very much a need to know person and we just seem to be having it stretched out like crazy.  We now have a 2 week wait for the bronchoscopy.  Having said that when we get all the results and if they're bad then life has changed forever

Thanks again

Star

Hi Star

When I had my initial chest X-ray it showed mediastinal lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes in the chest and oesophagus), but on a subsequent PET scan the area did not light up, so the radiologist just concluded that it was due to a prior infection. I had a bad attack of flu and then a bout of Covid three weeks after the flu and about three months prior to the chest X-ray, so all in all I had about six weeks of respiratory illness and the enlarged lymph nodes where still recovering so to speak.

Other diagnoses can make the lymph nodes show activity, i.e., inflammatory diseases and infections, so I wouldn't worry just yet. Let the medical team do all their investigations, they will then come to a diagnosis and subsequent treatment tailored to whatever your dad's results show. Only worry when there is something to worry about.

Best wishes to you both.

Ann

 Sanguinesse your comment made me remember what my mum used to say to me, “ if you had nothing to worry about, you’d worry” how very true she was.

Star the bronchoscopy out of all of the tests, is the most important one. You will get all of your answers after this, but be prepared as results usually take 14 days. Waiting really is the hardest part, as you mind goes into overdrive with the unknown. But there really isn’t much else you can do but wait, so Ann is right, try not to worry until you have all of the answers. X 

Thank you Ann. 

Dad had a good 5-7 weeks of chest infections with several doses of antibiotics and he also has COPD.  I'm trying not too worry but it's the not knowing

Thank you again ️

Thank you.  I know there's nothing I can do - I just want to be prepared  cos I know dad won't ask questions.