Most lung nodules are benign (not cancerous). Rarely, pulmonary nodules are a sign of lung cancer. Lung nodules show up on imaging scans like X-rays or CT scans. Your healthcare provider may refer to the growth as a spot on the lung, coin lesion or shadow.
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.
Providers may be more worried about larger lung nodules and those that grow over time. If your nodule is large or is growing, you might need more tests to see if it's cancer. This might include imaging tests, such as CT and positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Another test might be a procedure called a biopsy.
Cancerous nodules are more likely to grow. If the white spot enlarges between scans, that might be an indication of lung cancer. So, while a CT scan can't confirm whether your lung nodule is cancerous, it may determine whether further imaging tests are warranted.
Smooth, well-defined margins, homogeneous density or the presence of diffuse, laminated, central or popcorn-like calcifications suggest the benign nodule.
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. Neurofibromas are a type of noncancerous neoplasm.
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.
The smaller the nodule, the more likely it is to be benign. Also, benign nodules grow very slowly, if at all, while cancerous nodules on average can double in size every four months or less.
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.
Most lung nodules are benign, or non-cancerous. In fact, only 3 or 4 out of 100 lung nodules end up being cancerous, or less than five percent.
Multiple nodules in the lungs or multiple pulmonary nodules (MPN) refer to two or more lesions in the lungs. The most common cause of MPN is metastatic cancer or cancer spread from other parts to the lungs. Causes of MPN can be malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous).
Nodules between 6 mm and 10 mm need to be carefully assessed. 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.
In most cases, benign lung nodules do not require treatment or removal. Your physician may request repeated imaging scans over time to monitor any changes in nodule size or features.
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.
The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 56 percent for cases detected when the disease is still localized (within the lungs). However, only 16 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage. For distant tumors (spread to other organs) the five-year survival rate is only 5 percent.
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. Coughing up blood.
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.
It takes around 8 years for a squamous cell carcinoma, for example, to reach a size of 30 mm when it is most commonly diagnosed so, by the time symptoms arise, the risk of metastasis is considerable. Once symptoms appear they are often ignored by patients, delaying the diagnosis and treatment even further.
Thyroid nodules are caused by an overgrowth of cells in the thyroid gland. These growths can be: Not cancer (benign), thyroid cancer (malignant), or very rarely, other cancers or infections.
In rare cases, nodules can grow big enough to cause the following symptoms: Trouble with swallowing or breathing. Hoarseness or voice changes. Pain in the front of your neck.
Pulmonary nodules are common incidental findings on imaging
About 30% of all chest computed tomography (CT) scans contain one or more pulmonary nodules. Larger nodules can also be seen on chest radiographs.
The natural course of benign thyroid nodules has been studied by Durante et al. [8]. In this paper, approximately 15% of such nodules showed continuous growth of more than 20% in a mean follow-up period of 60 months. Similar findings for the growth of benign thyroid nodules have been reported by Erdogan et al.
Multiple pulmonary nodules and masses may result from infection (e.g., tuberculosis, fungal infection, septic embolism), neoplasms (e.g., metastases, lymphoma), inflammatory processes (Wegener granulomatosis, rheumatoid nodules), or trauma (multiple pulmonary hematomas) or may be congenital (arteriovenous malformations ...