A Nodule is in my Lungs. Now what?
If a nodule or growth has been detected in your lungs, your doctor may recommend a minimally-invasive procedure to determine if the nodule is cancer. If it is cancer, early detection could save your life and enable you to treat it in the earliest stages—when treatment is less disruptive to your daily life.
ARE ALL NODULES CANCER?
No. In fact, many people have nodules on their lungs. But if you are at high risk for developing lung cancer, your risk of a nodule being cancerous are much greater. Chances are that if you have already had a lung cancer screening then you are at higher risk for a nodule being cancerous. People who are 50-80 and have a 20 pack-year history of smoking should have a lung cancer screening annually.
I ALREADY HAD A LUNG CANCER SCREENING. WHY DO I NEED ANOTHER PROCEDURE?
A lung cancer screening is completed through a CT scan—like an X-ray—which can help physicians see if there are nodules in your lungs. But the screening can’t determine if those nodules are cancer or not. The only way to know if a nodule is cancer is to biopsy the nodule itself and look at it under a microscope. Since a nodule has already been detected and you are at higher risk for developing cancer, you will bene t from having the nodule sampled and tested.
WHAT IS THE ION ROBOT AND HOW DOES IT SAMPLE THE NODULE?
The ION is a robotic-assisted platform that doctors use to perform a minimally-invasive lung biopsy. Ion is designed to obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung with precision. The out-patient procedure is completed under general anesthesia in a few hours and does not require a hospital stay.
ARE THERE BENEFITS TO THE ION ROBOT VS. OTHER OPTIONS?
Yes. The ION Robot can sample nodules as small as 10 mm. It reduces the chance for complications like lung collapse that are associated with other procedures (such as a CT-guided biopsy).
WHY IS A PROCEDURE BETTER THAN WATCHFUL WAITING?
Some patients will choose to keep an eye on their nodules to see if the nodule grows in ways that might indicate cancer. This requires frequent CT scans that can then be compared over time to build a picture of the nodule’s growth or lack of growth over time. “Watchful waiting” is the name of this process. If the nodule is cancer, it could be spreading during this “waiting” period. Once growth is determined, a biopsy will likely be ordered anyway. If the nodule is not cancer, the patient may worry during the “waiting” period, causing anxiety. Or the patient may fail to follow up with future CT scans. In contrast, this non-invasive procedure has many bene ts. If the nodule is cancer, the bene t of a quick determination is the ability to treat cancer in the early stages. The sooner you treat cancer, the better your chances of survival. It can literally mean the di erence between a 5-year or a 20-year survival rate. If the nodule is not cancer, the bene t of a quick determination is more immediate peace of mind and less anxiety.
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
If you’ve decided to choose a procedure with the ION Robot, ask your doctor to refer you to the pulmonary navigator at Desert Care Network.
Pulmonary Navigator: (760)333-4066
[email protected]