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Predisposition to LEMS
Hello if you read my other posts you know my sister who by the way is 65 has SCLC and LEMS.
I am concerned about myself also. I have been diagnosed for almost 4 years with multiple pulmonary nodules. My dad had NSCLC and now my sister with SCLC. I have never been a cigarette smoker and both of them were. When I first went to the pulmonogist back in 2017 she did a scoring system for my risk of lung cancer. The one thing that bumped me up was my dad’s dx of lung cancer. I am due to go get another CT in the Spring just as a third follow up. I am a bit concerned now-I really was not before because of my sister’s dx within the last year of SCLC and now LEMS. Are you genetically predisposed to LEMS? Is my story concerning to any of you?
Any advice would help. Thanks
Mary
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4 Replies
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Hi Mary! I believe LEMS itself is not hereditary, however, there can be a predisposition to autoimmune issues. Nodules are an interesting topic, and I’ve had many. None have ever resulted in SCLC for me, and I have a smoking history. LEMS protocol is 6 month CT scans after diagnosis. In my case, when they’re found, my CT scans pick up to every three months, monitoring for growth. In my case again, all have stopped growing before reaching a size where a needle biopsy is possible. Having a curiosity about this, I’ve learned lung nodules are relatively common and often benign. I hope this helps.
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Thanks Price. Nodules are a very interesting topic and I was surprised when they incidentally found quite a few.
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Hey @sweepea32
I’m glad Price jumped in to answer your question! According to most sources, they do not believe LEMS is hereditary but there is a component that makes someone susceptible having autoimmune disease in general.
Have you been to see a genetic counselor to see if you have a genetic component linked to SCLC? If not, I would definitely recommend that. My mother had breast cancer and passed when she was 41, so I am considered high risk for breast cancer because of that alone. I had genetic testing done in 2014 and found out I have a gene “variant” that also increases my risk of having breast cancer. So I started getting ultrasounds of my breast every 6 months and a yearly breast MRI. My doctor and I chose these options because they don’t have much radiation and a breast MRI/ultrasound are more sensitive than a mammogram.
I’m glad to hear that you are already being followed up on by someone! If you are concerned, you could always ask if your physician could run the Mayo clinic antibody test to see you if might have the antibodies for LEMS. But honestly, if you do not have any symptoms associated with LEMS, I wouldn’t be too concerned!
I hope this answers your questions!
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It does Ashley thank you and thank you to Price again.
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