Biopsy

Hello again DeBond,

It's a bit of a conundrum isn't it?

I think if it was me I'd make the same decision. It's obviously suspicious and if your consultant is offering a lobectomy they must think along the same lines. 

It's quite common for them to offer a few of options but not get off the fence and recommend one.

I hope all goes well for you.

Derek.

Thank you. I did get the impression he was steering me towards surgery but isn't allowed to say directly!!

Only you can make that decision, I had a lower left lobectomy in Januarythis year had a small spot that was growing quickly so they removed it via keyhole, which not pleasant but recovery can be quicker. I was lucky stage 1c so no further treatment at this time.

please message if you have any questions.

Thank you Hayley. I've decided to have surgery.I'll be going to the QE hospital Birmingham. Upper right lobe removal. Did they biopsy your lobe after it was removed? How was your recovery - that's what I'm dreading the most!!!

Yes they took lymph nodes also this is to grade it and check if it has spread.

recovery in my case was brilliant, don’t get me wrong I had UTI’s and up and down days. My biggest tip is as soon as you wake up MOVE, it helps to clear mucus and sets you up, I know it will hurt one of the incisions goes into my boob so loose fitting clothes like blouses as you don’t want to be raising your arms.

Thank you very much, I'm 64 and wondering if age makes a difference to recovery time.? Sarah

I’m 56 and last July had open heart surgery as aortic root aneurysm about to burst so that was July then lobectomy January so it doesn’t matter about age it’s mindset and the fight within

Thank you. You're so right about mindset. 

That is a hard decision I have had 5 biopsies in all  got diagnosed with lung cancer in March/April 2020,  have recurrent lung cancer at present, you do not really say enough, as what is the size of the nodule, and what FDG uptake was your PET scan  showing? what type of cancer are these suspect cells, Ie aggressive small cell cancer or squamous or adenocarcinoma  I have had 4 biopsies since September 2024,  two biopsies one EBUS biopsy and one Navigational biopsy in 2024 both found no cancer cells but PET scan showed a High FDG uptake, was decided to watch and wait, Tumour was  roughly 35 to 40mm then,did not get much bigger by much til December 2025 when it enlarged to 70 mm was then  booked in for navigational biopsy, this time found cancer cells  squamous but also found what they thought were small cell cancer cells but could not be definitive on that, so I was booked in for an  EBUS biopsy, found squamous cancer cells but no small cell cancer cells, my cancer has not spread to nodules or anywhere else.

Just goes to show a second biopsy is sometimes the best thing, as I do not have small cell cancer, Thing is most nodules are benign only a small percentage are cancerous, so am in two minds here, Looked at your profile you say you had tests for Adenocarcinoma in April 2025 that came back negative, fast forward 12 months appearance changed from ground glass to solid, so more tests, 

What puzzles me how can you have tests for just adenocarcinoma and not be tested for other types, my advice would be talk to your surgeon first and ask him what he thinks after he has had a good look at your PET and CT scan.

Navigational Biopsies can go to hard reach areas, trouble is not all areas have them

I am seeing my surgeon on Monday for maybe going in for a  pneumonectomy if my breathing tests are good enough, anyway good luck.

Hello, Yes I had a navigational bronchoscopy in May that showed some cancer cells. The surgeon said taking that into account, plus the change and growth on the ct scan (since April 25), plus the medium uptake on the PET scan, they are recommending lobectomy. I can't have a wedge resection as the adenocarcinoma (?) is in the inner part of my lung, not the outer. The fact that it has changed and grown since last year is worrying. Sarah x