Question on possible lung met

[AvidBooklover]

Hi! Had stage 2 bc in 2012 and hip bone met in 2019. Targeted rads did what they were supposed to do on that. Annoyingly either the rads or the faslodex shots hit sciatic nerve so I have drop foot...luckily on the left not the right!

PET/CT also found something on my thyroid that was dealt with in late 2020.

So almost six years on Ibrance/Faslodex and for a couple of years I had Xgeva, but stopped that as there were no additional mets.

Latest PET/CT showed. "New FDG avid lateral right lung lower lobe subpleural nodular opacities, possibly metastatic, possibly inflammatory. Recommend short interval follow-up with chest CT."

Has anyone ever had this? I am doing another CT in three months.

The crazy thing is I joined at health club in late August and have been working out 4-7 days a week with a combo of water aerobics and yoga. And never have felt better. My husband is shocked that I am spending this much time at the club and I really like it. So needless to say I am hoping that the the lung issue is inflammatory.

Thanks...

[Aprilfoolz1]

I think we can all relate to your concern. It's hard not to think it's a new met BUT it could just be inflammation . What is the fdg suv level ?

I'm so happy to hear you are working out a lot and feeling good . I'd keep an eye on it and see if it resolves or changes .

Hang in there and keep us posted

[AvidBooklover in reply to Aprilfoolz1]

New FDG avid lateral right lower lobe subpleural nodular opacities, for example image 84, 1.2 x 0.8 cm, SUV 3.2. Which I think I read was smaller than a pea...laughing as I hate peas...LOL..I think the 3.2 is what is concerning...oy! I have had melanoma (one spot), breast cancer (one spot, MBC (one spot) and thyroid (half gone, but no meds needed(...I really do not need cancer #5 if it is something diff. IF IT IS something they will do a path on it to see if it is something NEW...since I seem to have a record for that...LOL...

[Aprilfoolz1 in reply to AvidBooklover]

Thanks for the additional info. Based on my personal experience, that is not too high of SUV. For context, I was on Ibrance/ fulvestrant for 5 years. I get quarterly pet/ct scans and they have been all clear until 3/24 a spot on my rt adrenal gland .8 x .8 cm with SUV 4. Kept watch and 6/24 same size but suv was 6.4. 9/24 same size but SUV was 8.5. Not an area that could be biopsies or radiated . 8.5 is pretty high for nothing. I also got a second opinion at UCSF 11/24. My onc agreed with UCSF that I should switch to Kisqali and stay on Fulvestrant if 12/24 scan showed that high of SUV. It did so i switched in January .

Mysterious one spot situations can be scary and frustrating !! Hang in there.

[AvidBooklover in reply to Aprilfoolz1]

You are soooo right abt mysterious new things. I know there are other options...and more to come. Thanks for sharing your journey. Never a dull moment...love my Sloan teams, and trust them, which helps. If you tell many people what is going on and they hear cancer they stress. Til you are in this world you have no idea that life very much goes on. I am going to keep working out. With my foot I am afraid to fall thus working on my core is a huge thing for me. I tripped the other night and did not come close to falling. Goals! You know what I mean! Thanks again!

[BorisCarloff in reply to AvidBooklover]

I am at Sloan too and love love love love every person on my team. Smart, kind, empathetic and communicative. It’s not their fault. I am the queen of side effects.! I’ve had to change three times not because of progression but because my side effects were bad. Hate to give up all these drugs when for all we know, they could’ve worked wonders. But anyone having reservations about going to Sloan, even for a second opinion from wherever you live should not. It is an extraordinary institution. institution.

[AvidBooklover in reply to BorisCarloff]

Agreed...and they are informed and upbeat. Been a patient there since 2010 and appreciate them.

[Aprilfoolz1]

I completely understand! So sorry about the dropped foot :/ You are right, people who don't have this shared experience can't really relate.

I've learned from others on here to try to not panic with these changes we experience. Both my Fred Hutch team and UCSF team didn't want to make a huge change for this one annoying spot. However, consistently brighter made me want to try Kisqali. I wish we could have biopsies it but no such luck :/

Keep up the exercising !! Sounds great !

[AvidBooklover in reply to Aprilfoolz1]

Thank you....today was yoga and people who know I wear a foot brace are surprised at how much I CAN do. It's all about building muscle for me.

[SKoter]

Hello, I had the similar PET/CT scans results in October last year. A lung nodule showed up so followed up with non-contrast CT scan in two months. It turned out that was an inflammation spot and dissolving. Hope this is the case for you, too!! I’m up for another scans tomorrow, as everyone can imagine, I’m nervous and anxious… Really hoping that I’m stable. I’m glad to know that you have been active and getting good workouts. That’s fantastic. Sending you love and hugs 🤗

[AvidBooklover in reply to SKoter]

Thanks for sharing what happened to you! I am channeling that it is inflammation. The doctor kept asking me how I feel...and I said...GREAT. Scans are stressful for sure...this time the results were ready sooooo quickly...like not even half a day later. I like to read them before I go to the doctor so I can run questions by them after I look things up. Typically it has been nothing...in the past smaller inflammation on the left side...this is the first time on the right...and bigger. Goal is to keep working out til I get the CT!

[TammyCross]

Two things are hard to read: bone mets -- even when resolved, they leave some lumps behind -- and lung mets. I have many around my lung. They never know if they are inflammation, some gunk, or a met. My onc says the SUV has to be above 4, 5 or 6, before it is cancer. Some of mine have gone away, and some have gone up to 7 or 8.

Exercise is great. I was spending way too much time on it, if I have a short time line, but the emotional payoff is important (I don't think about troubling things) and endorphins and I feel so good, and I think it might discourage the cancer.

I go to MSK for second opinions. I am envious of your description of a team, and communicative, and empathic, upbeat. Wish I had any of those, much less all.

[AvidBooklover in reply to TammyCross]

Tammy, I never was great at working out. BUT with my AARP Medicare I managed to get membership at a fabulous health club for free, or some small annual AARP fee. It got me started with water aerobics and then I liked the place so much that I started discovering other classes...including four different yoga classes. Before the pandemic I did yoga six days a week. I missed it. Now I have SOME class that I am interested in every day. I own my own company and needed to allow myself to start at 10...or to leave for a class at lunch. It has helped enormously to do that!

Yes, I am very lucky with the teams at MSK. I have had four kinds of cancer --- melanoma, breast, MBC and thyroid. At one point I REALLY did not like my thyroid doctor. I spoke with my breast surgeon and my melanoma surgeon and they got me to someone I loved. Usually changes at Sloan are tough, but they both "got me" and knew it was really not a good match with the first doctor.

I consider myself to be VERY VERY lucky.

[AvidBooklover]

Thank you!!!

[Andersl]

Yes I had similar report 6 months ago. Next scan it had disappeared so they concluded it had been inflammatory

[AvidBooklover in reply to Andersl]

Thanks for letting me know....it had been as big as mine? It was 1.2 x 0.8 cm, SUV 3.2

[Andersl in reply to AvidBooklover]

Sorry, I can't remember

[Tolife_18]

Things keep popping up on the scans. Completely not confirmed by the oncologist. They later disappear in the next scan.

I had it quite a few times.

So stay strong my friend and try not too worry about possible finings.

Wishing you all the best!

[AvidBooklover in reply to Tolife_18]

Thank you!!! Going to concentrate on staying healthy instead!