What are pulmonary (lung) nodules?
Pulmonary (lung) nodules are growths or "spots" in the lungs. You may have just one nodule (called a solitary pulmonary nodule) or more than one (called multiple nodules).
What are the symptoms of pulmonary (lung) nodules?
A lung nodule might not cause any symptoms. But you may have symptoms from whatever caused the nodule, like symptoms of an infection.
What increases the risk that a pulmonary (lung) nodule is cancer?
Your doctor will look at several things to see how likely it is that a nodule is cancer. He or she will look at:
- Whether you smoke or have smoked in the past.
- Your age and your family's past health.
- Whether you have been exposed to or breathed in harmful materials, like tobacco smoke, asbestos, or coal dust.
- The size and shape of the nodule.
Whether the nodule has changed in size. Your doctor may look at any past chest X-rays or CT scans and compare them. Or you may have a series of CT scans to see if the nodule grows over time.
How are pulmonary (lung) nodules treated?
If the cause of the nodule is clear (for example, if it's caused by an infection or inflammation), you may need medicine to treat that problem.
If the cause isn't clear, you may need more tests or treatment. It depends on the risk that the nodule may be cancer.
- If the risk of cancer is small, your doctor may just want to watch to see if the nodule changes over time. Or your doctor may want you to have regular follow-up appointments and tests. For example, you may have a CT scan every 3 to 6 months to see if the nodule is growing.
- If there's a higher risk of cancer, you may need more tests like a PET scan or biopsy (a tissue sample). If the nodule is cancer, you may need surgery to remove the cancer. Or you may need some type of cancer treatment.