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Lyme Diseases, infectious process, pneumothorax, lung cancer

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hologicbob

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Joined: 06 Aug 2007
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Location: Boston, ma
Lyme Diseases, infectious process, pneumothorax, lung cancer
Posted: 08-06-07 16:21pm

My wife, who is a 32 year old smoker, was ill with a month long fever (102+ degrees) and cough. Other that that is is a healthy person. Through blood tests she was shown to have Lyme Diseases. After a chest CT it was discovered that she had a 1.5 cm nodule in the lower right lobe. It was round in appearance and was described in the first reading as a possible infectious process. During a second read it was described as being very dense suggesting possible other etiology. An unsuccessful biopsy was performed resulting in nothing other then a pneumothorax.

Since then she has had a PETCT one month after the originalCT which showed minimal uptake in the primary RLL nodule, but identified 2 or 3 other smaller nodules and granuloma's in the right upper lobe.

The thoracic surgeon has recommended a VATS to excise the nodule for biopsy. She has already diagnosis herself with cancer and is scared to death about having the VATS.

I am looking for some information about what she might be going through and if the primary nodule could be related to the respiratory process she was going through prior to having these studies
Sad
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MandMs

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Joined: 26 Jan 2007
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Re: Lyme Diseases, Infectious Process, Pneumothorax, Lung Ca
Posted: 08-30-07 05:25am

hologicbob wrote:
My wife, who is a 32 year old smoker, was ill with a month long fever (102+ degrees) and cough. Other that that is is a healthy person. Through blood tests she was shown to have Lyme Diseases. After a chest CT it was discovered that she had a 1.5 cm nodule in the lower right lobe. It was round in appearance and was described in the first reading as a possible infectious process. During a second read it was described as being very dense suggesting possible other etiology. An unsuccessful biopsy was performed resulting in nothing other then a pneumothorax.

Since then she has had a PETCT one month after the originalCT which showed minimal uptake in the primary RLL nodule, but identified 2 or 3 other smaller nodules and granuloma's in the right upper lobe.

The thoracic surgeon has recommended a VATS to excise the nodule for biopsy. She has already diagnosis herself with cancer and is scared to death about having the VATS.

I am looking for some information about what she might be going through and if the primary nodule could be related to the respiratory process she was going through prior to having these studies
Sad


I don't think that the primary nodule is related to Lyme Disease she was having previously. This disease is manifest with acute symptoms(flu-like symptoms) and chronic once(arthritis, myocarditis, meningoencepalitis)
Lung cancer also can give some flu-like symptoms:fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of weight.
Your wife got confirmed diagnosis with biopsy. Her treatment and prognosis depend upon the histological type of cancer, the stage (degree of spread), and her health status. Possible treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. VATS is used for biopsy as they already excise the nodule and also as a cancer operation(lobectomy-excising the whole lung lobe where the cancer is located) This treatment is less invasive with less pain, less morbidity and shorter hospital stay.

Hope I helped you a bit!
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