Abnormal xray shows abnormal hilar mass?

Dear Sheila,

First of all, yes, a hilar mass is a tumor. Your mother's doctor was wise to wait for the CT results for in cases like this it is hard to see clearly with just a plain xray.

Anytime you deal with masses of any type, it's better to err on the side of caution, and especially so if it's in the lungs, for it's hard to detect the abnormal cells (cancer) from the healthy cells. Whether cancerous or not, the mass will have to be removed, if possible. They may even have to remove the lung. But do not be scared, people have lived with only one lung.

I know a little bit of what I am talking about for my mother died from a mestastised (it means it spread more than a little from it's point of origin) hilar mass, or in other words, lung cancer. It was not caught in time for my mom had too much pride and not enough money to go to the doctor. Her cancer spread throughout her entire torso by the time they caught it. She passed away just 3 months after her diagnosis, in my arms. I, too, barely survived throat cancer, and again, they barely caught mine in time. After major surgery that took my voice away (yeah I'm one of those funny people that talks with a robot machine), I breathe through a hole at the base of my throat and I had to undergo massive radiation therapy( lost all my teeth, my taste buds and my saliva glands from the radiation, though some are healing now). I was only 37 years old(young) and a single parent. My youngest child had turned 4 years old just 2 weeks before I was rushed into emergency surgery for they said that if I had I gone another week or two without surgery, I would have suffocated on the tumor, for by the time they found the tumor, I couldn't even swallow my own saliva (though I kept smoking,stupid me). I was blessed and it hadn't spread very far. But I was only given 5 years to live for the cancer was advanced, but as of this last March 2007, I have gone 8 years without the cancer coming back, so even if it does turn out to be a cancerous mass, you and your mother need to know that it is NOT a death sentence. Everything depends on when the cancer is caught and how aggressive the cancer is and if it's spread, and how aggressive her medical care will be. It will be scary, but don't give up hope or faith.

Most of all, research everything. Have your mom, or you or whomever goes with her (she may not hear everything at first from shock), take a pad and pencil with her to the doctor's office or anytime you deal with any medical treatment, and write down what they say, prepare questions in advance, or whatever pops into your head at the moment, and write the answers even if you don't understand what it means at first. Write down all the medicine prescribed and tests that are ordered and know what their purpose is. Ask about the staging. If it is cancer, the doctors will determine it's severity by a system of Stages 1-5, five being the worst, and then they will say something about a T-number and a N-number. The "T" stands for tumor, usually the amount of tumors and/or their size and "N" stands for nodes, your lymph nodes( they produce the antibodies to fight diseases but they get worn out fighting cancer and then the cancer can use it's delivery system to spread- sorry, I don't know how old you are so I'm trying to keep things simple). Those two things will determine the staging.

THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!

If the doctor(s) are hesitant to to answer you, tell your mom to keep pushing for answers, this is your mom's life at stake!!!!!!

Since you have access to the Internet, look things up. The National Cancer Institute(www.cancer.gov) is a great place to start. That's what I did for it's too easy to be scared of something that is unknown, but if you know what you are up against, you know what you need to do to fight it.

I don't want you to think I am being cruel to tell you these things, but having been through this with myself and with my own mother, I know you want the truth and not have someone sugar- coat what's happening. You wouldn't have asked the question if you didn't want the answer. I am NOT a doctor, so I cannot say whether the mass is cancerous or not, but the odds say it probably is and it's better to be prepared. It's okay to be scared, and even mad, if it turns out to be cancer for it's a nasty beast and that's how you have to think of it, as a monster to fight.

Your mother will need your strength and love, as well as that of all her loved ones regardless of whether it's cancer or not.

Please, please, feel free to contact me at catiedan1@yahoo.com ( I hate putting this up publicly where anyone could see it but I want you to know that I am here for you. A total stranger 2500 miles away,got me through my cancer with email and hopefully I can help you and your family, if needed, to kind of pay it forward) if you feel you need to vent to someone about the whole mess, or if your mother needs to know that there's hope, or help in researching or deciphering what the doctor's say or anything else you might need, I'm here. Like I said, I am not a doctor, but I am a cancer survivor and the survivor of one lost to cancer and have become a cancer advocate with the NCI. I know the monster all too well.

My prayers are with you, your mother, and your family,

take care sweetheart and be strong,

Catiedan

Hilar Mass

A hilar mass is not necessarily cancer. There are a lot of lymph nodes in the hilum, and they can become enlarged from infection or inflammation, not just cancer. Radiologists can probably think of even more possibilities than that. The CT scan should give your mom's doctor a lot more information, so it is understandable that he would not want to speculate at this point. I hope you get the results back soon, and I hope it ends up being nothing serious.

Perihilar Mass

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my husbands chest cat scan dx was extensive process consistent with a pulmonary neoplasm involving the

left hilar region Atelectasis of the left lower lobe. Multiple enlarged mediastinal nodes. involvement of the liver

and spleen as described consistent with disseminated disease. left pleural effusion. doctor said none of this

is in the lung but on the outside. Please help