right shoulder pain

• By peyz33
• Reply 458522
• July 13, 2009 at 7:39 pm
• Report post

maryann - you need a PET scan or CAT scan to answer these types of questions - I found my tumor because it was pressing against the hilan nerve center in my right shoulder - constant pain that advil did not even touch - pain that comes and goes is USUALLY not a tumor - my Onc toldme if I had mets to the bones it would be very painful and constant - still - everyone is different and none of us are "experts" - you should call your doc. and get a scan if you are concerned.
Karen

• By HighlandGuy
• Reply 458890
• July 14, 2009 at 1:43 am
• Report post

Maryann,

Most lung cancers have no pain symptoms. The reason for this is that there are no (pain) sensory organs in our lungs. Even in advanced cases of lung cancer when the cancer has spread extensively, pain is rarely experienced. If there is pain, it is normally from surgery or other treatments.

In your previous post, you indicated that in a CT scan you had an 8mm nodule in your lung.

Nodules in the lung are very common and the great majority of them never turn out to be cancer.

You do need to have another CT scan, perhaps in three months (some doctores recommende six months) to determine if that nodule in your lung is growing significantly in size (a possible indicator of lung cancer). The nodule in your lung is too small to get a tissue sample (biopsy) to test for lung cancer at this time.

Only from a biopsy (tissue sample) can a pathologist determine if the nodule is cancerous, and if it is, what type, and grade it is to determine the course of treatment.

If the nodule has not double or more in size, you probably should continue to have scans at three or six month intervals for a while to make sure it doesn't start to grow.

I know you are undoubtedly concerned, and worried, but at this time, you need to recognizing that considering the nature of the nodule, and your age, there is very little chance that you have lung cancer.

Hang in there young lady. I doubt that you have lung cancer, but should a biopsy in some months show that you do have lung cancer, it isn't the end of the world. I am a 9 year survivor at 85 years of age.

HighlandGuy

• By candigrl63 (Inactive)
• Reply 458894 · In reply to 458890 by HighlandGuy
• July 14, 2009 at 1:58 am
• Report post

thankyou for your encouragement highland. i was told the nodule is well defined and non calcified. what scares me is i am the care giver of my dad who is stage 4 lung cancer. he is 77 years old. so it runs in my family. i smoked for 15 years. i quit 12 years ago. i was told for years (3) that my constant productive cough and recurring bronchitis (3 years) was from post nasal drip. now i am scared i have cancer. the wait is terrifying.

• By cuddles53
• Reply 458916
• July 14, 2009 at 3:24 am
• Report post

This means you are right getting tested, and making sure if, and when you ever get it, that you find out in the earliest possible stage, but do not let this consume your entire life. you are much to young to let it do this to you. Live and have a great life, but always with an open ear and eye to anything that may make you suspect cancer, shortness of breath sometimes comes on, a pain in a shoulder blade for me is what alerted me, that and many times I would get bronchitis after the slightest cold. There are so many symptioms, and then many times no symptoms, people sometimes find out just from a routine chext xray, which is what I would say to do, have the chest xrays done even if you need to pay for them yourself, they are not that expensive, and just be on the alert, but not to the point that it takes up the life you are trying to live now. Take care. may god bless you with never giving you cancer.
Sandy

• By HighlandGuy
• Reply 459612
• July 14, 2009 at 2:23 pm
• Report post

Maryann,

I fully understand your concern. Moreover it is true that you are at increased risk and have good reason to be concerned. This is a frightening and absolutely unpredictable beast that we are concerned with.

All that I can say is that there is hope, that our worst fears often turn out to be unfounded, that becoming panic stricken over possibilities is neither healthy or helpful. All we can do is patiently wait and in the meanwhile look to the bright side.

I had no symptoms in the year 2000. I did have prostate cancer, but from every indication I would die with it, rather than from it. PSA tests presumably monitoring the Prostate Cancer were evidencing no growth.

And then I passed blood one night only. On a number of occasions I had passed blood for some days and tests disclosed nothing abnormal. I don't know what prompted me to call the doctor, but I did and it turned out to be an extremely aggressive, invasive bladder cancer. In staging that cancer, they found the tumor in my lung. A biopsy of that revealed my lung cancer. In the several months following my nearly nine hour surgery removing my bladder, large portions of my colon, ureter, urethra, my seminal vesicles, my prostate and adjacent lymp nodes and organs, my lung cancer grew at six times the normal rate for adenocarcinoma NSCLC.

The pathology report on my prostate revealed the cancer had consumed a third of my prostate, had progressed into the lymph nodes. The prostate cancer had not been under control.

Preparing for lung surgery, they found growths on my adrenal glands and liver (biopsies revealed them to be benign) when because I flunked my pulmonary test (due to severe COPD) they were refusing to perform a lobectomy on me. Presumably I could not survive lung surgery. After a bitter struggle I persuaded the thoracic sugeon to take the risk of performing a lobectomy.

Five monts later, visiting in England I developed a severe infection (metabolic acidosis with acute kidney failure). My family was notified, (five children) flew to England, funeral arrangements were actually made, I was in a coma for five days, before the incredible Oxford Medical School doctors pulled me through.

I had open heart surgery, a pacemaker keeps me alive, I have hearing aids, I can no longer drive or read due to age related macular degeneration.

I am a 9 year survivor of all three cancers. I am 85 years old and doing just fine.

I mention this minutia, only to note that these are bumps in the road, things to cope with and pass on.

My dear, I have every reason to believe you will not be diagnosed with lung cancer. But, should I be wrong, I have absolute faith in your ability to cope with and beat it!

Please let me know if I may be of any assistance.

Sincerely

HighlandGuy

• By HighlandGuy
• Reply 459619
• July 14, 2009 at 2:24 pm
• Report post

Maryann,

I fully understand your concern. Moreover it is true that you are at increased risk and have good reason to be concerned. This is a frightening and absolutely unpredictable beast that we are concerned with.

All that I can say is that there is hope, that our worst fears often turn out to be unfounded, that becoming panic stricken over possibilities is neither healthy or helpful. All we can do is patiently wait and in the meanwhile look to the bright side.

I had no symptoms in the year 2000. I did have prostate cancer, but from every indication I would die with it, rather than from it. PSA tests presumably monitoring the Prostate Cancer were evidencing no growth.

And then I passed blood one night only. On a number of occasions I had passed blood for some days and tests disclosed nothing abnormal. I don't know what prompted me to call the doctor, but I did and it turned out to be an extremely aggressive, invasive bladder cancer. In staging that cancer, they found the tumor in my lung. A biopsy of that revealed my lung cancer. In the several months following my nearly nine hour surgery removing my bladder, large portions of my colon, ureter, urethra, my seminal vesicles, my prostate and adjacent lymp nodes and organs, my lung cancer grew at six times the normal rate for adenocarcinoma NSCLC.

The pathology report on my prostate revealed the cancer had consumed a third of my prostate, had progressed into the lymph nodes. The prostate cancer had not been under control.

Preparing for lung surgery, they found growths on my adrenal glands and liver (biopsies revealed them to be benign) when because I flunked my pulmonary test (due to severe COPD) they were refusing to perform a lobectomy on me. Presumably I could not survive lung surgery. After a bitter struggle I persuaded the thoracic sugeon to take the risk of performing a lobectomy.

Five monts later, visiting in England I developed a severe infection (metabolic acidosis with acute kidney failure). My family was notified, (five children) flew to England, funeral arrangements were actually made, I was in a coma for five days, before the incredible Oxford Medical School doctors pulled me through.

I had open heart surgery, a pacemaker keeps me alive, I have hearing aids, I can no longer drive or read due to age related macular degeneration.

I am a 9 year survivor of all three cancers. I am 85 years old and doing just fine.

I mention this minutia, only to note that these are bumps in the road, things to cope with and pass on.

My dear, I have every reason to believe you will not be diagnosed with lung cancer. But, should I be wrong, I have absolute faith in your ability to cope with and beat it!

Please let me know if I may be of any assistance.

Sincerely

HighlandGuy

• By lisalulu
• Reply 462254
• July 16, 2009 at 2:43 pm
• Report post

Highland guy, you rock... I hope and pray I live as long as you with your attitude and faith,,
You are a great persn... the Rock..
God Bless..
always..
Lisa