Oncologist Called about the Ground Glass

[Peggy]

Well I finally heard from the oncologist about the ground glass. He said the nodule doesn't appear but that it's still there and the Ct will need to be repeated in a month. Apparently the CT takes slices of pictures and it's not appearing on this one.

The ground glass he said doesn't present right now as small cell lung cancer. YEAH! He does say though that it's really bad since the one in Feb and to have that much appear in that short of time isn't good. He wants me to see the pulmonologist right away.

So I called and spoke to the pulmonologist's assistant. She called this afternoon and said that when the CT gets to them that the pulmonologist will review it with the radiologist on Tuesday. I should hear by Thursday from her. I asked the oncologist what this could be and he named about 5 different things and be darned if I can remember a one of them. He said I may have to have a bronchoscopy and may need a steroid or cytoxan. I told him I can't take either as I can't take prednisone and when I was on cytoxan I developed cystitis. He said she will have to come up with some different options.

I have this marker that indicates that at some time I will develop lymphoma so to know that I missed the bullet of having lung cancer is great. However when I was first diagnosed with sclero my first rheumatologist told me that I would probably never have lung issues. Shows how much she knows. It goes to show you that a person really needs to stay on top of their appointments and tests.

Does anyone have any insight as to this ground glass and what it could be. I don't have a persistent cough so I don't think it's any kind of pneumonia.

Thanks.

Peggy

[steve201]

Peggy
for me the ground glass connective tissue in my lungs showed up during the ct scan..then I did the bronchoscopy...which wasn't fun..I sure don't wish that one on you......on my ex-wife-YES...but not on you.....second it could be a number of things but for me it was systemic sd with lung involvement..which of course caused me to loose about 28% of my lung function...basically what that meant was that not only could I not expand my lungs large enough to get a full bag of air...but my lungs couldn't process fast enough what it was taking in.....
so..in anything that was remotely extraneous....I would get winded...even an elevated hill would just about make me wheez like an asmatic....I'd literally run out of air while breathing like I'd run a mile as fast as I could....the ground glass as my understanding goes is basically the lung cells crystalizing and prevent 02 from being absorbed into the body....

at least that was my understanding..


Steve

[joannern]

No cancer is a good thing. Great the you are staying on top of this and it certainly sounds like there will be treatment options. Now onward to finding the best treatment for your condition.

I know this was a long wait for you, glad you got some information. It is difficult to process all the things the doc says while you are on the phone and so anxious to hear the diagnosis.

Take care and keep us posted.

Joanne

[grammie]

Mine was connective tissue and the confirmation that I had SD. I had a lung biopsy. I had the symptoms that Steve mentioned but I couldn't finish a sentence without taking a breath.....no I'm not "long winded "

Glad it isn't lung cancer. That is good news.

Grammie

[sammie]

I am really glad for you that it isn't cancer. I had a bronchoscopy
when they first found nodules on my lungs. It wasn't so bad, they put me under for it.
I have had a lot of lung problems, frequent pneumonias among them. I take prednisone and it seems that since I have been on IVIGs my lungs are better. I had a ct scan a few weeks ago that said the scarring and something else are stable from the last scan in the fall.
Hope the pulmonologist gets you what you need,
Sammie

[Cubby]

PEGGY: So glad it is not lung cancer. Good luck with the pulmonary doctor.