Tuesday, April 28, 2009

what different things could the spot on my left lung be besides cancer

what different things could the spot on my left lung be besides cancer?
During a hospitol stay for bronchitis in may, they found a spot or scar on my left lung. After 6 months they wanted a ct scan to see if it grew, it did. Then they did ct/pet for cancer, which would have lit up a hot spot very visible, test was negative for cancer. Now they want to do a ct guided needle biopsy to see what it is? My question is; What are the other possible things it could be? Any medical brains out there?
Cancer - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
It could be doctors who don't really know or care what it is but still want to do lots of different tests that get them paid lots of money :)
2 :
If the spot is 6mm in size or smaller it usually isn't cancer. It could be a fungal infection which is reasonablly common or it could be a nodule. They'll know after they do the biopsy.
3 :
I had a friend that had a pulmonary embolis year ago and now she has a spot on xrays where it was the dr said it was a calcified granuloma and is ok, it iwll just alway show up on xrays
4 :
It could be many different things, however the fact that it grew would have me very concerned. Anything that 'grows' you need to suspect could be cancerous. A PET scan is not always accurate and does not pick up small cancers. My son had a 4 cm pelvic tumor that a PET totally missed, so be very careful relying on it as the definitive answer. Perhaps this is the reason why the doctor wants to do a biopsy . . to rule out cancer once and for all. Usually a biopsy is the only way to tell one way or the other if a nodule or tumor is malignant or benign. You are doing everything right, and should get the results back fairly quickly. If it is cancer than it is very early stage, which is good. Best of luck.
5 :
While not being a "medical brain", I have very similar story in my family, which was rather very unpleasant and even traumatizing: This person was a smoker all her life, though not smoking more than 5 cigarettes a day. Always suffered from bronchitis, and towards 1998 was diagnosed with emphysema. Couple of years later, atrial fibrillation was "added to the list". I believe it was in '98 when the first x-rays were done, and SCARS were found. I believe it was also then when the first "mixed" signals from doctors started coming in; such as telling me her lungs were black, etc. Nowadays_and in many instances pretty late for her to have a better quality of life_I've made it my business to find out as much as possible, and ask and probe from all medical professionals helping her. Why? Well because, even though her primary doctor said there was not much that could be done for emphysema, there was. And that SCAR which at first scared us beyond words, turned out to SCARE us (me especially) out of my mind, since by now she's very old and we keep from her most of the information!!!! Two years ago, and mainly because of her primary's total carelessness in giving us anything that would help us (and her), not make mistakes, she took long road trips (without oxygen!!!); didn't diminish salt intake, nor greasy or acid foods. Etc. Finally there was dehydration and so many medical diagnosis (and mis-diagnosis) to last us a lifetime! Finally after having been given less than three months to live, mis-diagnosed with cancer, the scar, which by then had grown (and pulmonologist now sweared it was cancer), it was only a heaven-sent emergency doctor who after doing even brain scans, etc., gave us the first relief saying those were just scars. By the time I began a complete healthy, nutritious, balance diet, normal hydration, monitoring for excess carbon dioxide signs, etc., she had been hospitalized in intensive, and even intubated for nearly a month. All because of doctors' lack of care! PLEASE, be very possitive and diligent in your care. Ask and probe thorougly. Explain you want to find out what those medical words mean; if this is common in all similar patients, if there are less invasive and equally qualified procedures. Etc. While not being a doctor, it makes me wonder why wait 6 months for your scar or spot to grow. Always find out if there are earlier, more conclusive methods.
6 :
A spot in the lung usually refers to a small, discrete, rounded nodule visible on a routine chest x-ray. Spots may range in size from that of a dime to a silver dollar; because their shape is rounded they are often referred to as coin nodules. Coin nodules are never a normal finding, although they may be benign or malignant. Benign lesions (another word for abnormal spots or coin nodules) are usually due to old infections that have healed to form a scar. Malignant lesions are usually due to lung cancer or cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body to the lungs. Utilizing only the routine chest x-ray, it is seldom possible to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. This difference is critical since a malignancy (cancer) may be in its early stages and amenable to surgery. Conversely, a benign lesion usually warrants no treatment and will not affect the patient's life. What to do after finding a coin nodule on chest x-ray depends on the patient's age, smoking history, availability of old x-rays, and a host of other factors. A lung infiltrate is an abnormality on a chest x-ray which is larger than a coin lesion or spot. It is also non-specific and may be due to a variety of causes, for example - pneumonia, partial lung collapse, cancer, tuberculosis, and pulmonary blood clots are common examples. Be aware that the biopsy is a way of ascertaining the details of the â€˜spotâ€™ so that the pathophysiology may be determined. Which means that the tests that are planned are in accordance with the method of elimination of the possible causes that might be harmful, and identifying the true cause of this â€˜spotâ€™. Hope this helps matador 89

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Friday, April 24, 2009

what are the chances of getting lung cancer if i smoke 1-2 regular sized marlboro reds a day

what are the chances of getting lung cancer if i smoke 1-2 regular sized marlboro reds a day?
im only 14 tho and ill smoke more as i get older so i guess this was like a pointless question to ask.
Cancer - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
eh. only two(2) cigarettes a day? i'd say not very high. i wouldn't worry about it.
2 :
There aren't statistics to help with amount of smoking- smoking once in your lifetime significantly increases your risks. 1-2 a day isn't good at all...but certainly better than chain smokers.
3 :
If you smoke as much as you do, you're still very likely to get lung cancer (or at least more likely than non-smokers)
4 :
The chances are not too high but there still is a pretty big chance of getting cancer by smoking, Take a look at this and you will see what a lung with cancer looks like http://www.tqnyc.org/2006/NYC063193//dirtylung.jpg
5 :
LetÂ´s put it this way, The more you smoke, the higher chances you have of getting cancer. If you start at 14, at 34 you have smoked 20 years. Cancer is not the worst of your problems, by then, you wonÂ´t be able to breathe. Then, when you try to get a lung transplant, SORRY, youÂ´re a smoker.
6 :
If you currently are only smoking 1-2 cigs a day, why not quit now? I have been smoking for a long time and have tried unsuccessfully thus far to quit. You are so young and have so many things to do with your life still. You are not a lost cause in the quitter catergory. Please try to fill your life with something else now before you begin smoking 5-6 or more. You are worried about the possibilities already, and you are too young for that kind of burden. There are many quit smoking links for you to try. Don't pre plan on smoking more as you get older. It will only get worse. It will consume your every move. Good luck.

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Does anyone know of alternative medicines for stage four lung cancer

Does anyone know of alternative medicines for stage four lung cancer?
My father is a heart tranplant reciepiant. Are there alternative treatments out there he could possibly be a canidate for? Something else besides the traditional chemo that won't affect his current meds?
Cancer - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I must say, it doesn't sound good! No real miracle cures!
2 :
I have researched this so much since my grandpa had lung cancer and I would not give up hope! First of all, there is something called "laetrile" which is found in the pits of certain fruits like peaches, you can also get it from almonds. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/laetrile/Patient/page2 Here is a website on it. It is not FDA approved (of course not) so they do not use it in the USA but in other countries they actually give you shots of it, etc. and I've heard it works for cancer, havent' heard any first hand accounts of it working for lung cancer though. Also, there is something called "essiac" and here is a website on it: http://www.essiac-herbal.com/ There is also a dr. named dr. loraine day and her website is : http://www.drday.com/ She had a deadly form of cancer and refused all treatments and she cured herself. Suzanne Somers did the same thing. But if you choose alternative meds you must refrain from taking chemo and radiation in order for them to work. I am not a doctor so I'm not telling you to do this, just giving you the info. When we asked the doctors why some of this stuff worked for suzanne somers, etc, they said "just a miracle", they had no reasoning behind it and they could not explain to us why the medical field would not look into it further. Sorry for ranting, I am really passionate about this, after my grandpa got sick it made me want to be a holistic health practicioner. I feel cancer patients should have an easier way than just "your going to die but we might be able to extend your life with these drugs" when the drugs just weaken your immune system! I think if you have like stage 4 cancer, again this is just my personal opinion, you should not do chemo or radiation, just do a cleanse. If your cancer isn't as bad, then chemo I feel has shown to be effective. Sorry for ranting, I wish you all the luck and I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. My heart goes out to you, I have been there. Blessings!
3 :
I'm not sure that theres any known medicine that you can't get with out a script.. So sorry about cancer...
4 :
Cancer touches everyone's lives. Whether through personal battle or through struggles of a friend or family member, it is likely that you are familiar with the debilitating effects of this disease. Fortunately, the food choices you make can greatly influence your risk of developing cancer and affect the body's ability to fight existing cancer. you can check out this article for more information http://cancer-care-center.blogspot.com/2008/06/fighting-cancer-with-natural-medicine.html
5 :
I have not personally gone through cancer but I have talked to some people who use alternative medicine with good results and success. The product they use is called Natural Cellular Defense Zeolite and from what the studies show, it helps suppress the cancer/tumors in the body. There has been a lot of studies done on this particular type and doctors and scientists attest to it's working ability. Here is a link for more info: http://www.ncdpro.com/waiorabiz/ Here's also a testimonial website for this product: http://www.testimonyinfo.com/ Now be careful of imitation and knock offs because those can actually do harm. Let me know if you have anymore questions.

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

The following statement was recently made: "Research has shown that lung cancer in middle aged individuals has

The following statement was recently made: "Research has shown that lung cancer in middle aged individuals has?
more than tripled in the past 60 years. Therefore, the genes that may cause lung cancer have become more common in the population." Do you belive this to be an accurate statement why or why not?
Biology - 1 Answers
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1 :
No, just because the rate of the cancer gene going up means there would be more cases of cancer doesn't mean the rate of cancer cases going up is related to the gene. I statement offered no reason to believe the gene is becoming more common then a guess at why there are more cancer cases. There are other things that could cause the cancer rate to go up like the lifestyle of todayâ€™s middle age, the higher pollution, ect. There is to much not being considered for the statement to be accurate.

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Sunday, April 12, 2009

My grandfather has lung cancer and cant get treated

My grandfather has lung cancer and cant get treated?
Hi! I just found out my grandfather has cancer, and kidney failure. He is also bipolar, and as many of you know, you can not get treatment. How long do you think he has. We dont know what stage it is, but I am so worried about him. I thought I mentioned in the question that he has kidney failure and that is why he can not get treated.
Cancer - 9 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
most of the time you can get treatment so why can't he
2 :
My mother inlaw just passed from lung cancer. She lived 6 month without any treatments and she had all kinds of odds stacked against her. She had advance stage with multiple organs effected.She fought a great fight and was not sick but she was very weak. God be with you and your family and keep the faith.
3 :
Without knowing the specifics of his case and his testing results, it is impossible for anyone to tell you accurately. Ask him or his doctors. They will know. Some people with the conditions above can live for years and others will only have a few months - it all depends on how far the cancer has progressed and what treatment he receives for the cancer and kidney failure. But, if you are correct in that he cannot receive treatment for the cancer, usually that means the cancer has spread to other organs of the body, which will mean that there isn't much time left. But, the only way to get an accurate answer is to speak with his doctors.
4 :
So sorry about that. Our prayers go out to him.
5 :
I just lost a brother with many other health issues, no one denied him any sort of treatment. But he chose not to take chemo. he lived one month and passed very quickly. My heart goes out to you and your family. May you find peace in our God.
6 :
You did mention the kidney failure, but mentioned he can't get treatment AFTER the bipolar comment - that was a little confusing. Anyway, My grandmother had lung cancer, but not kidney failure - I would assume if he's not on dialisys that is actually the most urgent thing. You will die much faster from kidney failure than cancer. Anyway, she had lung cancer - a very aggressive form and lived about a year after being diagnosed. She was very very ill for the last 2 months - didn't even recognize us. But it will depend on the person and how advanced the cancer is, and how fast it is spreading.
7 :
yeah of cause all he has 2 do is go to the local hospital and tell them he wants to get treated and hopefully they will treat im good
8 :
Do you know what stage of lung cancer he has? Perhaps it is not a matter of not being able to treat him but how they are trying to treat him. Maybe it it just a matter of him not being able to go through Chemo or traditional radiation with his kidney issues I work at M. D. Anderson in Houston, but am not a doctor. But I have heard conversations about minimally invasive procedures for lung cancer, and they have robotic surgery options for lung cancer patients, especially early stage. I am sure that if you are not nearby we are not the only place who does it. I provided some links. Maybe it is something your family can look into.
9 :
More than likely, the kidney failure will be the cause of death... how bad is that? base your guess off of that, but why not ask his doctor?

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

If a person smokes, what are the chances that he will get lung cancer

If a person smokes, what are the chances that he will get lung cancer?
They say there's an "increased" chance. But what are the real statistics, on average?
Cancer - 5 Answers
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1 :
I'm not sure but smoking makes people smell bad, look really old, not to mention out of shape. Common things like walking up the stairs can leave them out of breath. It's one of the worst things in the world.
2 :
if you,re gonna smoke, you pay the price at some point. i,ve known dozens of current and ex smokers. even the ex smokers have issues like emphysema, dry skin, cancer, long after they stop.
3 :
7 times more chance than a non smoker all confused In fact bronchic cancer but the smoker get generally one of the meanest the Anaplasic with small cells and according to their genetic this cells seem sensitive to chimio but come back 6 monthes later . 45% of cases the other kinds are less agressiv but in any case it's not a good disease. Some are caused by other intoxication than smoke or by hormons one for women. In fact the global statistic for all cancers confused is becoming worst for 30 years but the governements mondialist dislike any statistic. Don't smoke you will live longer have a beautifuler skin for a woman and avoid to give money to our masters who would like to poison for one penny.
4 :
There's a lot of chance that they'll get lung cancer if they smoke.
5 :
Less than 20%. Besides smoking, genetics plays a big role in whether a person gets lung cancer as well as environmental issues such as pollution and radon in your home. While all smokers and former smokers are at higher risk for lung cancer, less than 20 percent of these "ever smokers" eventually develop the disease. "We need to get a better handle on how genetic factors increase risk and what molecular pathways are involved in development of lung cancer," Amos said. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402131137.htm If you want to compare that to other cancers in the general population, 12.7% of all women will probably get breast cancer. 20% of all men will get prostate cancer. About 20% of all people will get skin cancer.

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Saturday, April 4, 2009

What is the life expectancy of a 62 year old male with lung cancer spread from bowel

What is the life expectancy of a 62 year old male with lung cancer spread from bowel. ?
He had removed from bowel in January and recently got a lot better after initial chemotherapy. Second round about to start. In January he also had pneumonia which has since cleared. However cough now returned and bringing up material. Growth on neck and something breaking out on face. Also pains in legs. He is optimistic and a figher.He expects to live for years but I need to know what is realistic.
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Depends on how healthy he is and how long until god decides to take him home to heaven.Bless you all.I've been there.
2 :
I am so sorry. Mostly depends on type of cancer cell. 'small' cell kind divides rapidly but is also more susceptible to chemo. 'large' cell is slower growing but not as susceptible. My FIL had large cell colon spread to liver; died 7 months after liver detected. My MIL had small cell spread from lung to liver; died 16 months after diagnosis. My former neighbor's dad had strictly lung - don't know if small or large cell - and lived almost three years. Blessings to you.
3 :
If he has colon cancer that spread to his lungs it is still colon cancer not lung cancer. If this happened while he was on chemo it means he is not responding well. The 5 year survival rate for a stage 4 colon cancer is 5%.

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Wednesday, April 1, 2009

What is the difference between chronic lung disease and lung cancer

What is the difference between chronic lung disease and lung cancer?

Respiratory Diseases - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Go to WedMD. It has great info.
2 :
Although cancer can be viewed as a chronic disease (if under control), also because it develops over a long period of time, by chronic disease of the lung medicine considers long-lasting conditions characterized by damage of lung tissue, obstruction of the airways, inflammation and clinical symptoms that are a result of such pathological processes. Cancer tends to kill you much faster, and chronic diseases you can treat and keep under control for decades, until respiratory insufficiency weakens your body to the extent that it becomes susceptible to dangerous infections, or until multiple organ damage occurs.

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