I need you all to tell me not to freak out.

[Jenny in Florida]

Background: I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2019. Had a bilateral mastectomy at the end of September that year, followed by radiology.

On one of the scans I did last summer/fall (annual follow-ups), my medical oncologist saw a small nodule in one lung. He emphasized that it was quite small and hypothesized that it might even be something I had since childhood (speculating based on where I grew up). However, abundance of caution and all that, he sent me for a CT scan so we'd have a baseline, which documented a 4mm nodule. The doctor prescribed another scan six months later to monitor.

I just got the report from that scan, and it describes the nodule as 5mm. 

I have an appointment next week, during which I will obviously ask for more information. But in the meantime, I'm trying hard not to panic.

Google tells me that the vast majority of these things are benign, especially ones that are as small as this. The sites I found also said that most pulmonary growths that turn out to be malignant grow pretty fast, often doubling in size within six months. 

I haven't smoked in 40 years and never did smoke more than a couple of cigarettes a day during my teenage rebel years. 

As far as I can tell, I have no other risk factors for lung cancer (aside from having had radiation therapy) and no symptoms.

So, it's going to turn out to be nothing, right?

I'm going to see the doctor, who is going to instruct me to get another follow-up scan six months from now, just to keep an eye on it, right?

[mommyoffive]

I am sending all the prayers and good thoughts your way.   Try not to google anymore.  I know that is so easy to say and hard to do.  

[WildflowerMom]

I know you're going to worry, regardless, but... I think only one mm difference is fine.  One mm could easily be chalked up to how the dr who read the scan measured.  Did the doctor measure from this point to this point in scan one, but from that point to that point in scan 2?  Was the spot exactly 4mm?  If it was barely over, the dr could have gone with 5mm.  I think if something was going on, you'd see more than a mm difference.   Big hugs, Jenny.   💛💛💛

[Pawz4me]

I'm not an expert by any means, but since DH was diagnosed several years ago I've gotten way way more experience in interpreting scan results than I ever wanted to have. He has many metastatic lung nodules. With that caveat -- I don't think a 1 mm change in a single existing tiny nodule is anything to worry about one bit. It wouldn't even warrant our attention. That size difference can be the difference in machines, the difference in the doctor reading the scan, etc. Scan again in six months and forget about it until then.

[Katy]

I wouldn’t worry about a 1mm change. That could easily be angle or interpretation with no change at all. 

[Jenny in Florida]

Thanks, all. I assumed the same thing about the size difference, that 1mm is probably just a margin of error/judgement call thing.

I did find a CT scan from the year before, which notes no visible nodules, but says "small modules may be obscured." So that's not super helpful for comparison. 

So, yes, I will probably continue to worry, but the rational part of my brain is comfortable with understanding this is probably nothing.

[sbgrace]

For my mother, also a breast cancer survivor with a small nodule found, it didn't mean anything. She did have follow up--I can't remember how long. You're right that small ones are less suggestive of cancer. I know it's hard not to worry. 

[Katy]

43 minutes ago, Katy said:

I wouldn’t worry about a 1mm change. That could easily be angle or interpretation with no change at all. 

I was never a radiologist or imaging tech, but it it helps, both for the imaging I’ve done myself as part of nursing (mostly portable bladder ultrasounds after gynecology surgery), and for the imaging I’ve observed in other departments or for my kids, the measurements are generally done 3 times, and then the average of the 3 is the measurement recorded. If 3 drastically different measurements are taken they’ll try again with another person. A 1 mm difference could literally be a difference in how you were holding your breath.  

[Scarlett]

(((Jenny))))

[fraidycat]

Big, big hugs. I know it's easier said than done to not worry, but 1mm is such a small measurement that it could easily be within the margin of error for taking measurements that in this case, I will advise to try very hard not to worry unless and until you are told definitively that there is something worth worrying about.

[melmichigan]

My husband has a few spots they’ve been monitoring for years now. 1mm wouldn’t phase me as it’s the smallest unit of measurement and simply choosing different margins can vary a reading by small amounts. 

Edited April 16, 2021 by melmichigan

[Kassia]

26 minutes ago, fraidycat said:

Big, big hugs. I know it's easier said than done to not worry, but 1mm is such a small measurement that it could easily be within the margin of error for taking measurements that in this case, I will advise to try very hard not to worry unless and until you are told definitively that there is something worth worrying about.

This is what I want to express, too.  I'm sorry you have this on your mind now, but please try not to worry at this point.  Sending hugs.

[Annie G]

I know it’s impossible not to worry, but like the others have said, I bet it’s nothing. Hugs.

[ktgrok]

My mom has had lung cancer, so have read her scan reports, and I really don't think a "change" in 1mm in a single node is going to be anything to worry about.

[Tanaqui]

It's probably nothing. I wouldn't worry.

[mominco]

(((Hugs))) Jenny

[math teacher]

It sounds as though many board members have knowledge that hopefully will allay your fears. I hope you have peace until you get a definite answer.