I coughed up a little blood last august and thinking that I could possibly have an eneurism, I was sent to A&E. An x-ray showed a shadow in the lower left lobe of the lung. Because I was fit and healthy in all other respects I was treated for pneumonia and discharged with antibiotics but with a follow-up CT Scan arranged. Having undergone the CT Scan I received a phone call to go for the results and I was told that Adenocarcinoma was suspected and so I was scheduled to have a bronchial wash. At the follow-up appointment I asked the burning question, “Is this cancer” to which I was told an emphatic “No” because the wash had gone to histology and there were no cancer cells found. What was found was an E Coli infection so I was given more antibiotics which the bacteria would not be resistant to. A further CT Scan was requested which was carried out in early February and the shadow was still there!!! I then had further tests by means of MRI and PET Scans and a lung biopsy which gave a definitive diagnosis of Adenocarcinoma of the lower lobe. Countless blood tests and a Lung Function Test found that I was healthy enough to undergo surgery. Unfortunately because I am allergic to Iodine, I was unable to have it in the medium for the CT Scans and therefore the surgeon won’t know if I’ll need to have the lobe or the whole lung removed until he gets inside it. Having read that a Non Large Cell Adenocarcinoma could double in size in a matter of months (sometimes weeks) my anxiety levels have also doubled.
I had my pre-op yesterday and now I’m waiting for a date for the surgery.
My journey so far has been a roller coaster and this is now impacting not just on my physical health but also my mental health too. I find that I’m being impatient with my husband, who is a saint, but I’m now finding it difficult to sleep.
Well, that’s my history and thank you for reading it.
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My husband was diagnosed last year and had a 5cm adenocarcinoma in his upper right lung. There was a delay in treatment by which point he had a second scan- in 3 months without treatment the tumour was exactly the same size, so it doesn’t necessarily grow fast. Hope that’s some comfort.
Thank you Rebecca; yes that does give me some comfort. I do hope your husband recovers from this wretched disease. This is my 3rd cancer - Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2006, then Endometrial cancer in 2012 so I reckon I’ve just got the cancer gene….if that’s possible. Take care, both of you. X
Hi there, I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in November last year, I have 1 nodule at 5.1cm and 5 others at varies mms. Because I am fit and healthy otherwise I'm on a watch and see programme and in 5 months has only grown 1mm. There is plenty of treatments available when the time is right as surgery is not an option 4 me. I have to go every 3 months for scans and yes the anxiety is enormous but I between I'm gonna have as much fun & family time as I can. Stay positive xx
Thank you for your reply mindini1964 and I wish you all the luck in the world with complete recovery from this dreadful disease when the time is right. X
Welcome to the forum and so sorry to hear you have lung cancer. Adenocarcinoma is a slower growing lung cancer, known as non small cell lung cancer. There can be a lot of misinformation and not up to date on the internet, and it is advisable to keep to approved accurate websites such as:
You may find our information booklet on a lung cancer diagnosis helpful and you can download it directly from this link: roycastle.org/app/uploads/2...
It sounds like this has been quite a journey for you and it is encouraging to be offered surgery, which perhaps may not feel like it at present for you just now. This link will take you to our booklet on lung surgery : roycastle.org/app/uploads/2...
It is understandable how difficult this must be for both you and your husband, with lots of unknowns and trying to process it all. If you are interested we offer a support group for those that have had lung surgery via zoom, you can find details of this and our other support services through this link: roycastle.org/help-and-supp...
You are very welcome to contact us to have a chat about anything on our ask the nurse service, you can email ask the nurse at lungcancerhelp@roycastle.org or call our free phone nurse led helpline number on 0800 358 7200 Monday to Thursday 0900-1700 and Friday 0900-1600
Thank you for all that information. I find it very helpful and I love the support on this forum. Please keep up the good work as there are so many people suffering from this dreadful disease, who are afraid and therefore need and take comfort in your very kind words. X
Sorry to read of your experience. It's not uncommon for imaging inconsistencies to be other things than cancer nor to imagine the worst as if cancer is literally growing every minute. Mine showed up on a chest x-ray in A&E mid October when I'd taken myself along and after waiting 6 hours was told I was being discharged with steroids/antibiotics but I insisted on having the x-ray results. The emergency doctor quizzed me who'd sent me for an x-ray as she wouldn't have done. She came back and said there was an anomaly on my x-ray - a lesion on my left lung - but that I would still be discharged with meds and would be dealt with in later follow up. I was readmitted the next day by ambulance - worse symptoms and then kept in for a week misdiagnosed and treated as 'uncontrolled asthma' - given meds to which I didn't respond - apart from the steroids which suppressed some symptoms.
A CT was booked for a couple of weeks later when they hoped the cough would either have gone or been suppressed with the medication but was cancelled as the scanner had broken and they had to order parts.
I tried to alter the scan site (the hospital has 2 sites) but told only the consultant could change the appointment and he was on 2 week's holiday. I waited almost 6 weeks for a CT scan then another week or so went by then I had the results that showed a large white blob on the CT image and told it was cancer but when I quizzed how that could be when I'd never smoked, was told the registrar could not interpret the scan and it might not be! She told me my case would be discussed 2 days later by the MDT (multidisciplinary team - a term I'd not heard of previously) and they'd be back in touch. On the Thursday I was called by another hospital calling me to go there the next day for a PET scan then a few days later a letter arrived with an appointment for me to see a cardiothoracic surgeon. A week later I was phoned by the surgeon's secretary to see him the next morning at yet another hospital. He showed me the PET scan and explained they were not going to waste any time as whatever the large mass was it needed to be removed with half my left lung. (upper lobe). I had open surgery mid December and told mid January that it was adenocarcinoma 7cm tumour. He said it had likely taken a long time to develop. That was in 2011!
Treatments have changed beyond recognition since then including surgery which now in the UK is majority keyhole rather than the open surgery I had. I was back at work and swimming by the end of March. I've been involved in lung cancer research since 2013 and even more appreciative of the treatment that I had as very few are detected when surgery is a possibility.
it's natural to react with shock, anger, impatience, sadness - all forms of grief but most find once a treatment plan is in place, these emotions calm down. don't google - the information is inaccurate, out of date and often refers to other countries.
There are many many different characteristics even with adenocarcinomas - a form of non small lung cancer including many slow growing ones. Instead read the many case stories or information on trusted website Roy Castle lung cancer foundation if you feel you have to learn more. However I'd caveat against reading about all the different treatments as if you're eligible for surgery, that's usually with curative intent and any other treatments would depend on biopsy/pathology results (mine were taken during surgery hence not finding out what I had until a month later).
Instead think of something nice to do, visit, see, experience and try and put your head in a different space. I think I was lucky as waiting to hear for me was in the run up to Xmas - my surgery was 16th December - so I had cards to write, presents to buy/wrap, and I attended every social invitation I was offered as well as continuing to work. Good luck....
Hello Janette and thank you for taking the time to write to me. It does my heart good to know that so many people survive this awful disease.
Because I’m allergic to Iodine (anaphylaxis) I wasn’t able to have the cannula for the CT Scan therefore, I’m told, until they actually get in there for a “look round” the surgeon wont know whether it’ll be just lower left lobe or the whole lung removal, in which case it won’t be keyhole or robotic but, hey, does it matter as long as the surgery is a success.
Thank you for your good wishes and I’ll take your positivity on board.
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