Partner had chest x ray showing shaddow on lung.

[Claire079]

I'm worried sick and just wondering if anyone on here has had the same and what the outcome was? My partner was sent for a chest xray by his GP after having flu symptoms with a cough which has been present for around 7 weeks. The GP called him 2 days after the xray and told him there was a shadow on his left lung and that she had referred him for a ct scan. He goes for this in 10 days. Im so worried that he has lung cancer. Thanks

[Usgang]

Hi claire079, obviously can't give you any diagnoses or anything like that, I had a shadow on my lung about 5 yrs ago and Dr said it was nothing and done no follow up, consequently (whether connected to this or not) i now have recently been diagnosed with bronchiectasis and copd, you have to take some reassurance that your partners Dr is acting on it straight away and doing tests to find out IF and what the problem is, let us know how you both get in, all the best xx

[Claire079 in reply to Usgang]

Thank u, hope you are not too unwell. Yes at least it is being seen to I suppose that is a positive x

[Carnival567 in reply to Usgang]

Same thing happened to me, I had a shadow when I had a chest X-ray for heart problems. Cardiologist ignored it, but ten years later I was dxd with bronchiectasis, so I am glad the GP has referred him for a ct scan, which will sort things out.

[Claire079 in reply to Carnival567]

Sorry to hear that. Thanks for your reply, I am slightly more hopeful now that his diagnosis may not be that of cancer. X

[RufusRuffcut123 in reply to Usgang]

I agree. Just take heart that things are progressing medically at a quick rate. Your doctor will do his/her best for your partner. If something is amiss, think positive thoughts. I had lung cancer 7 years ago. They removed 1/2 of my lung (right) and also gave me a few rounds of chemo. I’m still fine now. Yes, it is a scary time, but shadows can be different things too.

[Shancock]

I totally understand your worries I was the same after my X-ray then sent for CT. Anyway was left over infection and no Bronchiectasis which we thought it was.

Shadows on lungs can be many things too, infection patches, hiatal hernia, pneumonia, pleural and fluid issues. There's a list of things and it can also be nothing at all. Sometimes X-rays show overlapping organs and that can complicate the X-ray.

The main thing is a CT will give answers but cancer is only one of many possibilities and it's probably the less likely outcome.

Good luck xx

[Claire079 in reply to Shancock]

Thank u, this is reassuring. I'm trying to be positive especially when I'm around him but it is difficult! Just have to wait for the results of ct scan I suppose. Thank you for your reply xx

[Jacmidlands]

Don't panic yet! It could be a variety of things but any shadow on the lungs has to be investigated within two weeks. It's called 'fast track'. This is good but scary at the same time. Yes, four years ago I had a shadow on my lung and felt the same fear and it turned out to be something else. The CT scan will give the Dr much more information and they can take it from there. Good luck!

[Claire079 in reply to Jacmidlands]

Thank you x

[paul65]

Hi same thing happened to me and panicked like you turned out to be calcium on the lung thankfully so try to stay calm hard I know but there are lots of possibles it could be.

[Claire079 in reply to paul65]

Thank u x

[paul65 in reply to Claire079]

Forgot to say after my xray the next day the dreaded arrived at my door at 8.30in the morning to tell me they found a dark mass on my lung and I had to go the next day for a ct scan talk about panic!. So you see it can look terrible on the surface but after 3weeks waiting and worrying amagining the worst nothing !!!!! Stay came and carry on

[paul65 in reply to paul65]

Doctor arrived.sorry predictive text lol

[katieoxo60]

Hello Clair079, no good saying don't worry as a shadow can be any number of things from minor to serious, I understand how it feels as the same thing happened to me I spent two years visiting the cancer clinic for what was actually COPD/Asthma. I had lots of scans & tests but the shadow still remains as do the chest problems. Fortunately your partner does not have to wait to long and then should be dealt with promptly if it is anything synester.Hopefully it will be good news, till then my thoughts are with you do please let us know how the scan turns out take care.

[Alfiebax2]

Hi welcome , 14 years ago i ended up in hospital with a bad cough of 3 months and severe weight loss. I was in hospital for almost 6 weeks ,at one time they thought i had TB but i had a bronchoscope to look inside my lungs as i too had a very dark shadow and they thought i might have cancer, anyway the upshot was and still is i have severe emphysema and a hole in my right lung . ive managed my condition so far but im just waiting now for an operation on my lungs , so dont worry ive had all those CT scans VQ scans and im still here .Please let us know how he gets on .xx

[watergazer]

Hi Claire; of course everyone's shadow may be of a different nature however many years ago I had pneumonia and repeated x rays showed a shadow on one of my lungs so I had a CT scan and the result in my case was the diagnosis of bronchiectasis. Don't over worry as it may be the infection isn't clearing. x

[helenlw7]

A shadow was found on my lung five years ago after an x Ray and then act scan and it was diagnosed as bronchiecstasis.

[jjnanna]

A shadow can well be infection .. I had lung cancer and it was tiny specks ... so don't hold your breath take it easy and wait for the CT scan ...If the doc was so worried you would have had the scan done much sooner ....chin up keep us posted xxxxx

[Claire079]

Thanks to everyone who has replied, I will keep u all posted once we have the ct scan results, here's hoping its nothing too sinister xxx

[santisuk]

Add 'Malt Lung Lymphoma' to the list of non-lung cancer possible reasons for a shadow. Mine was and lightweight radiotherapy (a breeze to handle at low doses) eliminated it with only a minute possibility of recurrence.

Sometimes loved ones worry more about conditions than the patient. Through a few months period of successive scans leading to my ultimate insistence on CT guided biopsy meanwhile being pressured by the consultant to take surgery for early stage lung cancer I learned how flexible is the human spirit at reacting and adjusting to changes in life expectation.

Don't be afraid to discuss the emotions it all with your partner. You may be surprised to learn he worries more about the health of you and the kids than about himself!

I have been threatened 3 times in my life with potentially life limiting diseases. Once with an erroneous threat of HIV over a long holiday weekend (administration error by STD clinic), once by lung cancer and more recently by bronchiectasis. In each case early research (thank goodness for the internet and forums) convinced me outcomes are unlikely to be as dire as your initial reactions dictate. Even with the lung cancer I was going to live a good few years with 75% of the lungs I was born with. Maybe bronchiectasis will cut 10 years off my remaining expected 30 but I still worry more about my younger wife dying before me (poor diet/weight control) or my 8 year old Thaiglish daughter dying on a motorbike on Thailand's horrendously accident-prone roads.