My mother was diagnosed with oral cancer last year � she had surgery of her right mandibles in March 08 followed by 6 weeks of radiation. She was doing well since then; - however, 7 weeks back she caught a severe cold that rapidly developed into persistent wheezing and coughing. She also had blood while coughing a few times (4-5 times). She has a mild fever almost every day. The doctor (not the oncologist � a general practice doc) suggested X-Ray and then CT scan � which revealed a �spot� in her lungs. The report says �right hilar soft tissue mass with perilesional nodules and patchy consolidations with ipsilateral minimal pleural effusion�. The doctor advised a biopsy.

We are really nervous � can this be a recurrence? As we know, before her oral surgery last year, her diagnosis was T4N0M0. She had 3 check-ups with her oncologist in last 9 months, and everything was fine, apparently. Do these symptoms indicate lung cancer?

Any words of wisdom/advice would be highly appreciated.

Thank you.

Hi i dont think thats a question anyone here can answer definitively i am afraid.Biopsy is the only real way to find out.
It would not be out of the question though as many here have experienced the same scenario.

Hard as it will be its just wait and see.
love liz

I would at least get another opinion from a CCC and see what they say. Absent a second opinion do get it biopsied.

Hi, I agree with David. An oncologist needs to see the results, both from the CT and the biopsy. It could just be a spot of scar tissue or something but you should always have someone else check it out. Good luck, Carol

Thank you all for your responses. We will get her checked-up with an oncologist soon. Couple of things bother me - would appreciate your comments:

- Apparently, she did not have metastasis before (T4N0M0). The cancer was in the right mandibles (which was operated out); - is it possible for the cancer to spread to the lungs (without affecting the neck first)?
- I heard that biopsy of lungs worsens the situation in case it is really cancer - is that true?

Thanks again.

It is not at all unusual to find metastisis after clear scans and pathology at origonal diagnosis.Rob had a total body scan in December before surgery and 67 clear lymph nodes removed.he then had two clear check ups after his surgery and treatment.There doesn't seem to be any logic as to why this can happen.I am not aware of biopsies making things worse in any cancer.








It is not unusual

I had "spots" on both of the upper lobes of my lungs after my rad treatments. My RO sent me to a pulmonary specialist. He gave me antibiotics and then followed up with another CT scan. The scan showed a decrease in the size of the spots. My Rad Oncologist said that he was sure the spots were just from the effects of the radiation and that it was a common side effect of the radiation. After a 6 month follow up by the pulmonary specialist, the spots were gone. I was glad that my pulmonary specialist and oncologists conferred about my situation and opted for a least invasive treatment first. If the spots had not reduced in size and gone away, then it was recommended that I get a lung biopsy. They did not want to do that unnecessarily because it is a super invasive surgery. I am so thankful that the spots turned out to be scars from the radiation and not the spreading of cancer!