We went to the oncologist today. Mom does have lung cancer. Exactly what kind; I don’t know.
Why does this stuff take so long?
Anyway, the oncologist didn’t say anything that we didn’t already know. He did say that Moms tumor is unusual in that it’s shape is almost perfectly round. He said that this is indicative that the cancer started somewhere else in her body, that lung cancer that started in the lung usually has “strings” or “fingers” – I forget exactly what he said, but it’s usually not in a big ball like moms is.
Part of the cat scan report from last week reads:
5.9 x 4.3 cm soft tissue density mass in the posterior right lower lobe, highly
suggestive of a primary bronchogenic malignancy.
Thickening of the left adrenal gland. This is a non-specific finding, which may
represent hyperplasia or early metastatic disease.
I emailed her xrays and cat scan study files to bro who then showed them to a radiologist out west who said the cancer looks like it has spread.
The oncologist disagrees with this, at least for now.
The next step is a PET Scan – Positron Emission Tomography or Pet Imaging
Most commonly used to detect cancer, Positron Emission Tomography is a diagnostic examination that involves the acquisition of physiologic images based on the detection of radiation from the emission of positrons. Positrons are tiny particles emitted from a radioactive substance administered to the patient. The subsequent images of the human body developed with this technique are used to evaluate a variety of diseases.
The oncologist also said that Mom is not a candidate for surgery, nor is she a candidate (-jeez is she running for office??) for chemotherapy, because the chemo will make her sick and she likely won’t survive it.
So for now, we wait for the Pet scan to be scheduled and more info as to what the doctors see.