Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Thoracic Surgery

Nodules are abnormal spots that may show up on your lung cancer screening scan or other imaging test. Nodules are found in up to half of adults who get a chest X-ray or CT scan. Most nodules are not cancer, but for a small number of people the nodule may turn out to be an early cancer.

In general, small nodules don’t cause any noticeable problems. They’re too small to cause pain or breathing problems.

Your healthcare team will probably recommend getting more CT scans to keep a close eye on the nodule to see if it changes. We call this “active surveillance.”
If a nodule is not cancer, it usually won’t grow. If the nodule doesn’t grow over a two-year period, it is very unlikely to be cancer. Most of the time, it is safe to stop watching nodules if there is no growth over two years.

On the other hand, if the nodule is getting bigger, it should be looked at more closely to see if it is lung cancer. Nodules can be viewed more closely using different radiology studies or by biopsy (using a needle or surgery to take a sample of the nodule to look at under a microscope). Your healthcare team will determine which is best for you.

Your best chance at beating cancer is early detection as well as the support of a comprehensive cancer center that includes a team of specialists working together for you.

The Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Team at Our Lady of the Lake Health brings together specialists to ensure the highest quality and individualized care for every patient. The lung team recommends lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients.

Upon scheduling your screening, you will be enrolled in the Lung Cancer Screening Clinic at Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute.

Post Screening

By combining the precision of the CT scan and the multidisciplinary expertise of our local providers, patients will be diagnosed accurately and effectively. This also means patients will know quickly after the screening if a further follow-up is needed. Results will be provided to determine the appropriate next steps.

Learn more about lung cancer here.

High-Risk Status Screening Recommended For:

• Ages 50-77
• Asymptomatic (no symptoms such as fever, chest pain, new shortness of breath, new or changing cough, coughing up blood or unexplained significant weight loss)
• Tobacco smoking history of at least 20 pack-years
• Current or former smoker

DO NOT schedule a screening if you have fever, chest pain, new shortness of breath, new or changing cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained, significant weight loss. Contact your primary care provider or head to the nearest emergency room.

Call (225) 765-303 to schedule a lung screening appointment.