Thus, some benign lung nodules are misdiagnosed as lung metastases, resulting in incorrect clinical staging and treatment.
The most common causes of lung nodules are inflamed tissue due to an infection or inflammation (called granulomas) or benign lung tumors (such as hamartomas). Less common, malignant lung nodules are typically caused by lung cancer or other cancers that have spread to the lungs (metastatic cancer).
Most lung nodules seen on CT scans are not cancer. They are more often the result of old infections, scar tissue, or other causes. But tests are often needed to be sure a nodule is not cancer.
Most lung nodules are benign (not cancerous). Rarely, pulmonary nodules are a sign of lung cancer. Lung nodules show up on imaging scans like X-rays or CT scans. Your healthcare provider may refer to the growth as a spot on the lung, coin lesion or shadow.
Consider pneumonia, a chest infection that causes inflammation in the air sacs of the lungs. It's clearly a different condition from lung cancer, which develops when cells grow out of control and form tumors. Pneumonia is also very common in lung cancer patients.
Delay in testing or referral to a specialist: Instead of referring a patient to a specialist for further testing or evaluation, a primary care physician may treat what he believes to be a benign condition. Lung cancer symptoms are commonly misdiagnosed as gastric reflux disease, COPD or asthma.
However, your doctor may suspect a lung nodule is cancerous if it grows quickly or has ridged edges. Even if your doctor believes the nodule is benign or noncancerous, he or she may order follow-up chest scans for some time to monitor the nodule and identify any changes in size, shape or appearance.
Cancerous pulmonary nodules, however, are known to grow relatively quickly—usually doubling in size every four months but sometimes as fast as every 25 days. A cancerous nodule is a lesion or “sore” that steadily engulfs more and more of the structures of the lung.
If I have a lung nodule, does it mean I'll get lung cancer? Most nodules are noncancerous (benign), and a benign nodule will not turn into cancer. But some nodules turn out to be cancerous (malignant). Small nodules, especially those that are smaller than 1 centimeter, are rarely cancerous.
The location of the lung nodule may guide the care team in evaluating possible risk, and studies indicate that nodules in the upper lobe may be more indicative of cancer. However, not all nodules in the upper region of the lung are cancerous, and not all nodules located elsewhere are benign.
Biopsies are usually not recommended when nodules are small because it is very difficult to biopsy them safely. Doing a biopsy when a nodule is small can cause harm such as trouble breathing, bleeding, or infection. Biopsies are often done for nodules that are 9 mm or larger.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
The commonly called “spot on the lung” is what doctors call a nodule. Feel reassured that most small nodules are benign and are not lung cancer. Even in the worst case scenario – the nodule does turn out to be lung cancer – it's likely to be at an early stage and very treatable.
Benign lung nodules can be caused by inflammation from a number of conditions. They include: Bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. Fungal infections, such as histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis or aspergillosis.
Nodules between 6 mm and 10 mm need to be carefully assessed. Nodules greater than 10 mm in diameter should be biopsied or removed due to the 80 percent probability that they are malignant. Nodules greater than 3 cm are referred to as lung masses.
Most lung nodules are benign, or non-cancerous. In fact, only 3 or 4 out of 100 lung nodules end up being cancerous, or less than five percent. But, lung nodules should always be further evaluated for cancer, even if they're small.
The most common cause of multiple lung nodules is metastatic cancer. Providers will usually start by looking for the primary (original) tumor.
Providers may be more worried about larger lung nodules and those that grow over time. If your nodule is large or is growing, you might need more tests to see if it's cancer. This might include imaging tests, such as CT and positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Another test might be a procedure called a biopsy.
The short answer is no. A CT scan usually isn't enough to tell whether a lung nodule is a benign tumor or a cancerous lump. A biopsy is the only way to confirm a lung cancer diagnosis.
Lung nodules are small masses of tissue in the lung that can be cancerous, although the majority are non-cancerous. Dust and chemical exposure, infection or other tumors can all cause a lung nodule to form.
Benign lung nodules usually cause no symptoms. If the nodule is malignant, the patient may develop a new cough or possibly cough up blood.
Nevertheless, lung cancer can also be overlooked on computed tomography (CT) scans, regardless of the context, either if a clinical or radiologic suspect exists or for other reasons.
After smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that forms in rocks, soil, and water.