
Get answers to your Medical oncology for lung cancer questions.
Dr. Edelman’s Bio | Q&A Archive
Ask your doctor about the risks of a biopsy versus monitoring the size of the nodule with regular x-rays.
Reasons for a biopsy or removing the nodule may include:
The outlook is generally good if the nodule is benign. If the nodule does not grow larger over a 2-year period, under most circumstances nothing more need be done. On occasion, the appearance of the nodule on CT scan may warrant continued follow-up.
A solitary pulmonary nodule is usually found by your health care professional when a chest x-ray is performed for some other reason.
Cronin P, Dwamena BA, Kelly AM, Carlos RC. Solitary pulmonary nodules: meta-analytic comparison of cross-sectional imaging modalities for diagnosis of malignancy. Radiology. 2008 Mar;246(3):772-82.
Gould MK, Fletcher J, Iannettoni MD, et al. Evaluation of patients with pulmonary nodules: when is it lung cancer?: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (2nd edition). Chest. 2007;132:108S-130S.
Wahidi MM, Govert JA, Goudar RK, et al. Evidence for the treatment of patients with pulmonary nodules: when is it lung cancer?: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (2nd edition). Chest. 2007;132:94S-107S.