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Let’s Talk about Lung Nodules Because They’re Scary
When LEMS patients start screening for cancer at diagnosis, many times reports start coming back of lung nodules. This is scary stuff. We’re already jazzed up about the possibility that we may have yet-to-be-discovered cancer. Finding nodules on radiology reports adds to the stress levels.
The good news is lung nodules are seldom cancerous, per the Cleveland Clinic. According to them, about half of all adults who get a CT or X-ray have nodules.
What causes nodules, if not cancer? What is their etiology? According to the Cleveland Clinic, here are the causes.
Air irritants or pollutants.
Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and sarcoidosis.
Fungal infections like histoplasmosis.
Respiratory system infections, such as tuberculosis (TB).
Scar tissue.
I’ve had both lung infections and a lung abscess. I have nodules. I’ve not had cancer diagnosed. While 95% of nodules are found to be benign, follow-up CT monitoring and needle biopsy are needed if the nodules continue to grow and reach a certain size.
I hope this information helps you understand more about cancer and lung nodules often found during screening.
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