Scarey times.but i try to be positive

[Kathy1233]

Hi all.my dad has a persistant shadow on his lung according to the last two xrays which he had over the last 2 months

.he has emphasymia.which showed on ct 16 months ago.i would be vert gratefull for any advice please as im terrified that this could be the dreaded word.we have another ct scan booked in a weeks time.

[Caspiana]

Hi Kathy1233 .

I am terribly sorry. What a worry this must be for you. It's impossible for any of us to say for certain what this shadow may be. Sometimes, it's an infection that hasn't cleared up. I think all you can do is see what the scan reveals the next time and go from there.

It is very scary for you, but I hope that things work out okay for you and your dad. Please do let us know how things go.

Sending hugs and warm wishes,

Cas xx 🌿

[Kathy1233 in reply to Caspiana]

Thankyou.much appreciated xx

[skischool]

Hi Kathy,dad's radiologist will have looked at his x rays and probably decided that it would be more expedient to order a Ct scan before diagnosis as a CT image would give a far better picture of that 'shadow' often as Cas has said shadowing can just be the traces of previous or current infection,given the time span of 2 month before CT scan it would appear that there was nothing obviously bad seen that needed urgent referral so that may well be favourable for the future.

regards Ski's and Scruff's x

[Kathy1233 in reply to skischool]

Thankyou so much for your reply.this has made me feel a little easier xx

[skischool in reply to Kathy1233]

Emphysema is well documented and also can be well maintained and it's progression slowed considerably with the correct health regime and medication so try to ensure that Dad has that care plan in place with his respiratory team and GP

Ski's x

[2greys]

Having been through this particular mill, I can assure you that skischool is 100% right. If they had suspected anything serious, like cancer, then things would be moving very fast, a scan would have been ordered in a matter of a week, or two at the most.

[santisuk in reply to 2greys]

How fast depends on what stage the pulmo guy thinks it might be if it were to be cancer. It took about 4 weeks for me to move from 1st consultation with a shadow in X-Ray progressing through ultrasound then CTscan then PET scan and finally CT-guided biopsy with a pulmonologist who was convinced at every move that it was stage 1 lung cancer that would be "easily solved" with a little bit of surgery. He was a cutter (lung surgeon as well as general lung consultant) who seemed desperate to cut and I pushed him at every step to set out what were the alternatives to him now getting his knives out! The biopsy ultimately told him he had been wrong throughout and then he was stumped on cause and dispatched me with a two month course of prednisolone steroid, hoping the shadow would go away, which it didn't.

Papworth Hospital's (Cambridge,UK) lung defence team stepped in (my choice as by now I was fed up with the first guy and I had medical insurance so free choice of specialist center and consultant). They decided to do a repeat but more extensive guided biopsy. Some skilled radiology/oncology testing at Addenbrooks Hospital Cambridge together with Papworth's attached lymphoma regional specialist came up with a relatively rare MALT lung lymphoma diagnosis. A short course of low dose radiotherapy and I was declared free of the lymphoma - in all probability for life.

The only reason I come in this webiste is because Papworth still could not understand why I was getting repeated infections after my lymphoma had been pretty much cured (my sputum volumes have never been that high and only recently have sputum tests revealed any bacterial clues) but after doing further CT's with contrast they realised I have bronchiectasis, luckily fairly mild and not too intrusive on my life.

I feel for you and yours remembering how it felt to have a potentially and immediately life-threatening condition and particularly facing what I thought might be bad news at every next step's concluding session. I found though that the human spirit is capable of great strength in moments of what might appear from the outside looking in to be great crisis. All I can do is wish you good luck and ask you to discuss very openly with your father how he is feeling about this stressful situation. You might find that he has surprisingly adjusted to a sanguine outlook on future prospects and that might give you some comfort. Take comfort too that even a diagnosis of cancer does not mean a death warrant. If it has been caught early enough it is quite possible to continue with a productive life with relatively routine lung reduction surgery.

[Hacienda]

Thinking of You Kathy & your Dad, I agree with Ski's. I am on the Shadow/old scarring/ list also. Hope all goes well with the correct Health Regime. xxxx

[sassy59]

Thinking of you and your dear dad as he awaits the CT scan. Xx

[maggy12]

Hi Kathy this does need investigation but I have shadows on my lung caused by scar tissue from chest infections, take each day at a time it may well not be what you are thinking sent with love

Mags x