Shadow on lung or lungs

[grayson99]

I have been diagnosed with anemea after blood test as I was feeling really tired.

4 months ago I had my appendix removed as it burst. It was keyhole surgery. I was in hospital for a week due to infection.

Today the doctor said they will send me for an xray to rule out cancer due to being anemic. I explained I had a chest xray 4 months ago when I was in hospital recovering from appendix op. The Doctor looked at my notes and it stated Shadow on lungs but most likely due to infection from appendix infection. But patient will need another xray in 6 weeks to confirm. I never had a follow up xray.

I'm worried now it may be cancer as my mum died of lung cancer 5 months ago.

It's only been a day since I was told this and I can hardly function due to worry.

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Hello Grayson99

I am sorry to hear about your anaemia, and cancer concerns. This must be a very worrying time for you and you probably will be worried until you get definitive results back from your Xray.

Shadows often appear as a finding on xrays and do not necessarily mean cancer. Infection can often be a cause. In your case there was a likely source to attribute infection to, and hopefully this is what the shadow will turn out to be.

Cancer treatments are progressing all the time and do not necessarily mean grim news or prognosis. Many people have been successfully cured, are in remission or are living well with cancer, and although your worries about cancer are understandable, particularly given what happened to your Mum, please try not to get too far ahead in your anxieties. Your GP will hopefully fast trak a repeat Xray. In the meantime if you wish to reach out for further support then you can email ask the nurse at [e-mail] or call our free phone nurse led helpline number on 0800 358 7200 Monday to Thursday 0900-1700 and Friday 0900-1600

Wishing you well

The Roy Castle Support Team

[grayson99 in reply to RoyCastleHelpline]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease.I had an xray yesterday and I asked the lady who took them what she thought.

She said you will get results in 10-14 days. She said they look normal though and winked. Bless her. Not sure how much I can read into that though. I assume as she does this as a job she must have some insight.

Thanks

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle in reply to grayson99]

Hi Grayson99

The radiologists tend to know if there is something abnormal there, and tend not to say it is normal if there is an abnormality of concern.

As others have said any shadow can be indicative of infection rather than cancer. If it requires any further investigation they would arrange a CT scan to make sure, and this would normally happen within a few days.

It is understandably a worry for you until you get the all clear and it can be an anxious time waiting on the results, the longer you wait from an x-ray report can be quite encouraging though. You could contact your GP next week to see if the results are in yet.

All the best and hope you have your results soon.

The Roy Castle Support Team

[Savanna01]

I was investigated for repeated chest infections following a chest xray I had in the April a few years ago. There was a shadow on my lungs, so a barrage of tests followed in the next couple of months- CAT scan, PET scan, the consultants were sure it was cancer.

I then had a lung biopsy which determined infection not cancer! Probably the left over from a chest infection I had four months before

Try not to worry and stay off Google! Easier said than done I know.

[grayson99 in reply to Savanna01]

Thanks read my reply above👍

[grayson99 in reply to Savanna01]

Can an infection still be present in lungs after 4 months?

[KT22]

When my husband was sent for an X-ray he was told the result would be with the GP in 24hours….his was lung cancer.

I had an X-ray last year & told the radiologist of my worries & she said my result would be 10-14 days & not to worry.

I hope this helps ease your worries a little.

[grayson99 in reply to KT22]

So sorry to hear about your husband x

[JanetteR57]

So sorry that you find yourself in this uncertainty especially whilst still coping with the loss of your mum to cancer. Not all cancers are the same - there are over 200 types and many treatments and there are more being approved all the time.

Chest x-ray is one of the most common procedures carried out in a hospital when people are in for other causes - and unless something glaring that might prevent the procedure or investigation that's needed, they are sent onto the system unless something looks suspicious.

Iinflammation, scarring and infection can all cause less than normal images - sometimes described as 'shadow', abnormal, hazy and other terms. Most turn out not to be anything. That's why they request another one to be done in weeks or months to wait and see if infection/inflammation settle down.

Glad you're reassured after having yesterday's x-ray.

Fingers crossed for when you're given the results by the doctor after they've been read by a thoracic imaging radiologist.

Even if something does turn out to warrant further investigation - of which there are many if lung cancer is suspected - if something is found, they tend to fast track the patient into the 'suspected' pathway. At the moment, it's simply 'abnormal' - a bit like having an abnormal smear test or blood test that needs repeating.... somehow we tend to panic and think things must be cancer especially when there's family history so try not to worry if you can.

Hope you can find a way to lose your thoughts elsewhere with distraction and doing something nice for yourself - whatever it turns out to be, the results will be what they will be irrespective of whether you make yourself anxious or try and put it to the back of your mind. Anxiety in itself can create no end of unwelcome symptoms so best to wait for the 'what is' and the results than fret about the 'what if'.

good luck.

[grayson99]

Just had a call from the Doctor they have found something on my lower left lung. I was in shock when they told me so forgot to ask any questions. They are sending me for 2ww CT scan.My appendix infection was one the right side so concerned abnormality is on left.

I'm clutching at straws it's from my bad covid infected I got months ago.

I feel sick to my stomach at the minute.

[grayson99]

Another update. Doc just rang to clarify xray results. I had a chest infection in hospital on left lung about 4 months ago. The shadow they found was quite large then. The recent xray has found a shadow on my lower left lung. It may be the same infection but ct scan is necessary. Could my infection still present on xray 4-5 months later?

[grayson99]

Got my scan results. It's a Benign 5mm nodule. Hospital are sending me letter. But they aren't concerned it will be a case of regular scans to monitor it. Thanks everyone for all your help x