Pleural puckering

[Dariada]

Does anyone know what this means? My pathology report mentions this - google search hasn’t really helped.

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

So this was something I had not heard of either. I used Google Scholar and found multiple references. From what I’ve read (not a lot yet) it can indicate a spot where there has been atelectasis (partial lung collapse, can be very small). It can also indicate where there is scarring from treatment. There are other causes as well. I’m supplying a link to my search. You can modify it a bit.

scholar.google.com/scholar?...

[Dariada in reply to Denzie]

You are the best - thank you so much for taking the time to research this for me. I’m going to check the link you provided now. My tumor was 0.1 cm away from the pleural surface - that is scary close. The puckering was/is concerning me.

[JanetteR57]

sometimes we can worry ourselves when trying to decipher the medical speak in the pathology reports or letters aimed at clinicians who know such terms. Denzie has given a good explanation. I remember being similarly alarmed in 2015 when I had a trapped ulna nerve and the hand consultant had said that given my lung cancer history I need a CT to check it wasn't a tumour compressing the nerve. That was done and the report/letter cited 'atelectasis' which when I googled it said 'partial lung collapse'. The consultant asked me to speak to the respiratory consultant to see if it was sufficient to prevent nerve repositioning surgery. His answer was that as I'd recently had a bronchoscopy, such procedures commonly involve an element of partial lung collapse (as can surgery) and as people don't use all their lung capacity anyway, it would make no difference to surgery which could go ahead. Having been hospitalised at 12 yrs old with a suspected collapsed lung, I had visions of my lung being stuck together and not functioning but his words were reassuring. the pleura as the lining can sometimes be inflammed/damaged - for example when people have 'pleurisy', pneumonia and similar unrelated to cancer. You could always ask your consultant for clarification. good luck.

[Dariada in reply to JanetteR57]

Thank you very much for your message. I am going to have to try to worry less but it has been difficult. I was blindsided (as I’m sure we all were) when first diagnosed and as a result, I’m probably attempting hyper vigilance. This won’t serve though. It’s just making me nuts.

[JanetteR57 in reply to Dariada]

I so recognise what you're saying - and found a book called 'cancer is a word not a sentence' by Dr Rob Buckman helped me stop worrying about every niggly symptom I had afterwards thinking it might be related and helped me put things in context so I could get on and live my life. good luck.

[Dariada in reply to JanetteR57]

I just ordered the book! I need something to get my head screwed on straight. Thank you sharing this.