Time to wait before biopsy/surgery after CT? - Cancer: Lung Message Board

jk1492 · 10-31-2006, 11:45 AM

My mom had a CT scan sometime last week, showed a 4 cm tumor in her lower left lung. No evidence that it has met. anywhere else, but unsure. My research tells me that time is of the essence, and that we need to do the biopsy and then schedule surgery asap. The doctors scheduled an appt (not a biopsy) in about 2 weeks.

My mom is 73 years old, never been a smoker and in fairly good health otherwise. She had colon cancer about 6 years ago but we think this is unrelated.

Thanks.

jk1492 · 10-31-2006, 01:54 PM

no ideas? how fast do the tumors grow? right now, at 4 cm its not too big - so why would they want to wait another month before deciding to do anything?

Janmarie2 · 10-31-2006, 05:24 PM

I hate t o say this but a big part of this journey for all of us is the waiting. You wait for the CT, you wait for the biopsy and so on. Sometimes it seems like the waits are just too long and you are convinced others are not stuck waiting like you but from the past two years and people I have met " The Wait" is the one thing we all seem to have in common.

I will send good thoughts and prayers your mom's way and please keep in mind not all nodules are cancer. JanMarie

jk1492 · 10-31-2006, 07:09 PM

to me, that is a defeatist attitude. if by being an advocate, and dealing with this maze of healthcare providers in an assertive way, helps speed the process up by 4 weeks, then that could easily save a life. a 4 cm tumor with cancer confined to the lower left lobe could be a 5 cm tumor with cancer spread to the brain the longer you wait ...

my advice to you, and to others, is to not put up with the "wait". thanks anyway.

Kimslos · 10-31-2006, 08:41 PM

I hope you can get in sooner...we were forunate and our doctor got us in immediately, but given ins. and doctors it is tough. Yes, the faster the better and not to mention the waits can really wear on you! We only wait for 2 days for our CT scans but have heard other people wait weeks!
My thoughts and prayers are with you,
Kim