If you find out that you have a spot on your lung after a chest X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan, chances are you’ll be understandably alarmed. However, try to remain calm because about 95% of spots, or nodules, on the lungs are noncancerous.
Doctors find pulmonary nodules on up to half of all lung scans. They usually show up on scans as a white spot smaller than 3 centimeters in diameter.
Causes of Pulmonary Nodules
There are many different conditions that could cause a pulmonary nodule, including:
- Cancerous tumors or metastatic tumors that spread from other parts of the body
- Fungal infections such as valley fever or histoplasmosis
- Granulomas, which are small clumps of cells that grow through inflammation
- Lung infections such as pulmonary tuberculosis
- Neoplasms, or abnormal growths
- Noninfectious or autoimmune diseases, such as sarcoidosis and rheumatoid arthritis
Symptoms of Lung Nodules
Lung nodules rarely cause symptoms, but if they’re pressing against your airway, they could cause you to cough or struggle to catch your breath. If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, contact your health care provider as they may be early signs of lung cancer:
- A chronic cough
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Hoarseness
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
When You Should Be Concerned About a Spot on Your Lung
Size is a major factor when it comes to pulmonary nodules. Smaller nodules are more likely to be noncancerous than larger ones. It’s also important to note the shape and location of the spot — irregular spots that are in the upper part of the lung are more likely to be cancerous.
There are other factors that could put you more at risk for lung cancer, including:
- Your age: You’re more likely to develop cancer if you are older than 50
- Smoking: Smokers have an increased risk of lung cancer — especially those who have smoked for many years
- Your exposure to asbestos: Asbestos are a group of fibrous materials used in fire-resistant and insulating material. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos, you’re at higher risk for developing lung cancer
- Your family history: Genetics can also put you more at risk for lung cancer
Further Testing for a Spot on the Lung
The next step after finding a spot on your lungs depends on how your doctor found it in the first place. They may want to order another imaging test, such as an X-ray or CT scan, to find out more about the size and shape of the lung spot.
Your doctor will also ask you more about your medical history, whether you smoke or have ever smoked, or if you’ve been exposed to secondhand smoke or asbestos.
If the results from your imaging tests show that the nodule is small and smooth, your doctor will probably want to schedule CT scans every 6 to 12 months to make sure nothing has significantly changed. If the nodule doesn’t get larger or change much over the next two years, it’s probably not cancer.
However, if the nodule is cancerous, your doctor may order a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, which provides detailed images that can help them learn more about your cancer and how they can best treat it.
Lung cancer treatment can include radiation and chemotherapy to reduce the size of the cancer, or surgery to remove the cancerous portion of your lung.
Lung Cancer Screening
One of the reasons lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths is that it causes few or no symptoms in its early stages. So, you don’t know that there’s a problem until the cancer is quite advanced.
If you’re at high risk for lung cancer (a heavy smoker who is between the ages of 55 and 80), the best way to detect it early through screening. In a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), your health care provider uses a specific type of X-ray machine to scan your body, and then uses low-dose radiation to create high-quality images of your lungs.
Breathe Easy With Us at Your Side
At AdventHealth, we provide the highest quality of care for your body, mind and spirit. Whether you have a noncancerous spot on your lungs, or you receive a diagnosis of lung cancer, we’re here for you every step of the way.
Learn more about whether you should undergo low-dose computed tomography or have other screening tests performed.
