Hi there Careful1,

Sorry your friend is having such a rough time of it, especially with the added stress of the financial side of it.  Are you in the USA by chance?

I'm a breast cancer girl so not much use on this one (not a trained medic either) but my understanding is that while chest x-rays can show shadows etc. (things like pneumonia) they aren't used to diagnose cancer but can prompt further investigation.  This is probably why the CT scan was required when your friend's condition worsened despite the treatment for pneumonia.

Even 'fast-growing' cancers are not fast-growing in the sense that we would think of them.  We're talking about how quickly cells divide and create new cells and even a 1mm lump has around a million cells in it so it takes a long time for a mass to get to 9cm.  My suspicion would be that they knew from the chest x-ray that a CT scan was needed for diagnosis but wanted to get the results before bringing up the 'c' word with your friend.

My experience with cancer to date (through my mum and me) is that doctors are very careful about mentioning the word cancer and will generally be pretty sure of it before saying anything.  It must be a hard line to walk to avoid needlessly worrying people but also not giving them unwarranted hope.

I need to head off just now but there are people on here with lung cancer who will no doubt pop by at some point and be of more use on this subject.

Best wishes,

LJx

Yes we live in Florida.

That was my question. She had the chest x ray on 5/27 and they saw nothing serious just phenomen and sent her home. On 7/7 she started coughing up blood so she went back to the ER and they did a ct scan. I was thinking the chest x ray should have shown something worth investigating but according to them it didn't. 

It must have shown the pneumonia though?  So maybe they just mean it didn't show anything else?  I imagine it's possible that with the pneumonia seeming to answer what was on the scan they maybe didn't consider anything else?

Sorry, obviously haven't seen the scans so don't have answers, pneumonia does usually show on chest x-rays (although not always I believe).

Yes the chest x ray must have saw the pneumonia cause that's the diagnosis they gave her on 5/27 after she had the x ray. They didn't give her a report from the x ray she had on 5/27 they only gave her the report from the cat scan on 7/7.

She is going back to the er tonight because she says she is having a hard time breathing and she has called the 4 specialist she was referred to and every last one said her dr has to send them the referal directly along with her medical records, their dr will review it and then they will call her to make her an appt and that it could take a week or 2. They also told her that because she doesn't have insurance she will have to pay for the visits at the time of service which is 100s of dollars each. We have tried calling Medicaid to see if there was anyway that could fast track her file but didn't have much luck there either.

That's so sad Careful.  We are so blessed to have an NHS in the four countries here, I don't know how people survive without it.

Where I am isn't technically the UK so we have to pay for some stuff (GP visits and some tests) but all essential or emergency care/treatment is free at source as it's covered by our social security payments.

Sorry I'm of no use to you in tracking down any helpful funding as I don't know the US system that well.

LJx

My dad went through a similar thing re: pneumonia/lung cancer. When we spoke to the nurse about it, she said in some cases with an X-Ray the pneumonia can be a little like a steamed up shower screen - it's hard to see what is behind it. Dad had a 7cm tumour in his lung that wasn't picked up until a CT scan and bronchoscopy. 

Hi Careful,

I am really sorry that your friend is having such a horrid time, and fighting the system to boot. I am glad Matilda said what she did, as it is exactly what I was thinking. My understanding is Pneumonia makes lungs look very cloudy on x-rays, so I would say it is feasible that they didn't spot a mass. Plus x-rays are one dimensional, front on, it doesn't give a cross-section.

Aside from my first comment, I think your friend needs to consider that her cancer may not be a lung cancer primary. I had cancer in my lung in 2005 when I was 21. I had a bone cancer 6 years prior to this, and in an annual follow-up with my doctors, they discovered it had returned but that it was in my right lung, so the tumours in my right lung were technically bone cancer. The lungs are a blood and oxygen-rich part of the body, and cancer likes that kind of environment. I don't say any of this to fear monger, but I don't want her to think there is only one option, particularly as the investigations don't sound like they have been thorough or specific in diagnosis.

I found a large lump in my right armpit three months ago, from nothing to a big lump in no time, and I am vigilant with these things. Things can grow, and quickly.

Metastatic disease is where the primary cancer has spread, and in this case to her lung and nodes.

I don't mean to sound harsh or uncaring, but I think you both need to move on from focusing on the x-ray, it is now not what you need to put your energy into, and those things can become negative energy / toxic because the sadness and ill-health can make you want to blame something or someone for the situation you are in.

If you can drive your energy towards finding someone who can take her in hand and explain these things properly. Could you find a patient advocate? I know these exist in the USA, because I had a meeting with one, his advocacy was specific to my cancer and he is based in California. I suspect she needs to know the name of her cancer before she can seek that support. They work to help you seek the best treatment and get the best medical teams. They advise they don't charge. 

Can you do a fundraiser to raise some money for your friend needs to get further investigations? It sounds like she needs some form of treatment quickly to help remove or reduce the tumour, so she can sleep and eat.

As a Brit, I am fortunate to have the NHS. Is it possible you can research US or Floridian charities to help her? Not necessarily financially but guidance on applying for funding, for emotional support, for guidance on the cancer journey?

I hope some of my ramblings help, good luck with the journey, Lucy

Hi and welcome to the forum.  My husband has stage 4 lung cancer.   We had five scans and each one showed a minute infection (or so we were advised)  similar to your friend,  antibiotics and nothing else.  Last scan February last year,  out of the blue a GP rang us to go for an emergency CAT scan, the results were 9cm cancerous  tumour and lymph nodes in chest wall.  So by our experience,  yes it can grow large very quickly,  he only had a cough,  no blood, no breathing difficulties,  no weight loss, so quite a shock.   Obviously we've had all our treatments on the NHS,  a year after,  the the tumour has shrunk by half .  It's difficult to say much more due to her financial  circumstances , but there is hope,  I've kept a blog on this site since chemotherapy started, under my tag Stay Strong.  It may give your friendmore information on the daily challenges.   Good luck.  Carol