A premalignant lesion is a formerly benign area that's evolving into a malignancy. A mixed squamous/glandular papilloma is an example of a benign lung nodule that could become malignant. A bacterial or inflammatory disease, such as sarcoidosis or rheumatoid arthritis, can cause lesions.
How are benign lung tumors treated? In most cases, benign lung tumors don't require treatment. Your healthcare provider will want to take a series of X-rays or CT (computed tomography) scans over a period of months to years to watch for any changes in tumor size or features.
Most nodules are noncancerous (benign), and a benign nodule will not turn into cancer. But some nodules turn out to be cancerous (malignant). Small nodules, especially those that are smaller than 1 centimeter, are rarely cancerous.
When an infection or illness inflames lung tissue, a small clump of cells (granuloma) can form. Over time, a granuloma can calcify or harden in the lung, causing a noncancerous lung nodule. A neoplasm is an abnormal growth of cells in the lung.
A non-cancerous (benign) tumour of the lung is a growth that does not spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Non-cancerous tumours are usually not life-threatening.
The diagnosis usually includes imaging studies such as a CT scan, but further testing or a lung biopsy may be needed to make the diagnosis and rule out other conditions. Most benign tumors do not require treatment, but surgery to remove a tumor may be needed in some cases.
Studies have shown that lung cancer doubling time can vary, from 229 days to 647 days in one study, depending upon the type. 7 It's possible that some types of lung cancer progress within weeks to months, while others may take years to grow.
Benign nodules do not grow much if at all. Cancerous nodules, on the other hand, can double in size on average every four months (some as quickly as 25 days, some as slowly as 15 months). Growth can be evaluated through a series of x-rays or CT (computed tomography) scans over a period of time.
Benign lung nodules and tumors don't often cause symptoms, and they're often found accidentally on an imaging test. If they do cause symptoms, they can cause: Shortness of breath. Wheezing.
In the vast majority of cases, lung nodules turn out to be small benign scars, indicating the site of a previous small area of infection. These nodules may be permanent or may even spontaneously disappear by the time of the next scan. Most are of absolutely no consequence.
Observations: At least 95% of all pulmonary nodules identified are benign, most often granulomas or intrapulmonary lymph nodes. Smaller nodules are more likely to be benign. Pulmonary nodules are categorized as small solid (<8 mm), larger solid (≥8 mm), and subsolid.
Pulmonary nodules are abnormal growths that form in the lung. They're typically smaller than 3 centimeters in diameter. Lung nodules are commonly found after a patient undergoes a chest CT scan for some reason, such as when a patient experiences symptoms of lung disease or during a lung cancer screening.
Early stages of non-small lung cancer (stages 0 and 1) have a better prognosis than later stages (stages 2, 3 or 4). With small cell lung cancer, limited stage cancers have a better prognosis than extensive stage cancers.
The location of the lung nodule may guide the care team in evaluating possible risk, and studies indicate that nodules in the upper lobe may be more indicative of cancer. However, not all nodules in the upper region of the lung are cancerous, and not all nodules located elsewhere are benign.
For brain or lung metastasis, the larger the tumor, the higher the risk of brain or lung metastasis.
Most lung nodules don't cause any symptoms and are often found on a chest X-ray or CT scan performed for another reason. If symptoms are present, they may include: Coughing.
Benign lung nodules and tumors usually cause no symptoms. This is why they are almost always found accidentally on a chest X-ray or CT scan.
Nodules greater than 10 mm in diameter should be biopsied or removed due to the 80 percent probability that they are malignant. Nodules greater than 3 cm are referred to as lung masses.
Most cancers grow fairly slowly, and it takes several months for them to get bigger. So even if the nodule is lung cancer, it will likely still be small in a few months.
However, your doctor may suspect a lung nodule is cancerous if it grows quickly or has ridged edges. Even if your doctor believes the nodule is benign or noncancerous, he or she may order follow-up chest scans for some time to monitor the nodule and identify any changes in size, shape or appearance.
While, overall, the most frequent hematogenous metastases occur in the liver and adrenal glands, various histological types of lung cancer show specific dissemination patterns.
Common cancers that metastasize to the lungs include breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, neuroblastoma, sarcoma and others.
In other cases, the cancer may have reached the lymph nodes in the same area of the chest as the original tumor—typically, the lymph nodes near the bronchus or within the lung. In addition, the cancer meets one of the following criteria: The lung cancer tumor is larger than 7 cm.
Even though most benign tumors are harmless and can be left alone, it's important they be monitored. And any tumor that is painful or growing requires a visit to the doctor.