Pneumonia turns out to be lung cancer

[Kerrymolloy]

Hi, we have just been told after 2 weeks of dad being in icu with pneumonia, that tests indicate he has lung cancer. He is so poorly with pneumonia they are unable to test how far gone it is. I'm really scared and doing know what happens now, does anyone have experiencd of this??

[Luckyone]

Hi Kerrymolloy,

I'm so sorry that you have received such distressing news about your dad, I had a cancer scare when I was in ICU with pneumonia,the doctors where very concern as my nodes were enlarged, thankfully a bone marrow biopsy proved negative but at the time my wife and family were left wondering would I have wanted to survive had it been positive as I had seen my own dad die from lung cancer on my 18th birthday and tragically have lost my 3 sisters to cancer as well. My wife later told me she considered asking the doctors to withdraw treatment had it been positive, luckily she never had to.

Many people find it a very difficult thing to talk about but you can get some good advice at macmillan.org.uk

My thought are with you at this difficult time.

[Kerrymolloy in reply to Luckyone]

Dad had abnormal cells show in fluid from his lungs sent to cytology department. Also ct scan has shown a mass which looks like tumour on at least one lung, possibly both. They've said they will do no further tests as dads pneumonia has left him so ill, he's still on ventilator and can't even withstand a biopsy. We are just trying not to think too far ahead and take each day as it comes. On positive side he is now coming out of induced coma xx