More and more people are paying attention to physical examinations, but many of them have "lung nodules" in their medical reports, even though they have no symptoms, they are still detected. Previously, it seemed that few people had pulmonary nodules, and one of the reasons for this may be that more people undergo chest CT scans during physical examinations. Since it has been checked, it is not a bad thing to understand it correctly, but it may cause anxiety and depression in some people, and some may even "turn pale" at the end of the conversation. After checking online again, it feels like the whole person is not doing well. So now let's talk about whether to be so worried about pulmonary nodules.
What is pulmonary nodule? As the name suggests, pulmonary nodules are nodules on lung tissue that appear as focal, circular, high-density solid or sub solid lung shadows with a diameter of less than or equal to 3 centimeters on lung imaging. They can be single or multiple, with clear or unclear boundaries. Not accompanied by symptoms of atelectasis, enlarged pulmonary hilum, or pleural effusion. More than 3cm is generally not called a nodule but a mass, while less than 1cm is called a pulmonary nodule, and less than 5mm is a tiny nodule.
How are pulmonary nodules formed? In fact, there are many reasons for the formation of pulmonary nodules, which may be due to the human body inhaling dust, tobacco, or harmful particles that cannot be eliminated from the lungs and depositing in the lungs to form nodules; Possible pulmonary inflammation, such as nodules formed by infections such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, tuberculosis, etc.: may be focal fibrosis; Possible locally enlarged lymph nodes in the lungs; Possible benign lesions such as granulomas; Possible malignant lesions such as lung cancer; Additionally, there are many pulmonary nodules with no clear cause.
So what should I do if I find pulmonary nodules? If lung nodules are found during a physical examination, there is no need to panic too much, because more than 95% of small lung nodules discovered through chest CT during the first physical examination or screening project are benign. Benign lung nodules do not require treatment, let alone surgery. Just like scars on our skin, many pulmonary nodules are scars left on the lungs by old lung lesions. But it cannot be ignored. It is best to have regular follow-up under the advice of a doctor:
① For small nodules with a diameter less than 5mm, the possibility of malignancy is less than 1%, so there is no need to be too nervous or worried. Regular CT scans can be done to observe its changes.
② 5-8mm small nodules: The malignancy probability is between 2% and 6%, and doctors need to judge based on size, boundary, density, dynamic changes, etc., and follow up regularly according to medical orders.
③ Solid nodules with a diameter greater than 8mm should be rechecked every 1-3 months. If no changes are found in the lesion during follow-up, it is often extended to 3 months, 6 months, or 1 year for re examination; When there is no change in lung nodules for 2 years, they can be roughly considered benign nodules; When there are changes, make judgments based on the situation and decide on the next course of action. It should be noted that the malignancy rate of 2cm lung nodules can be as high as 20%, and lesions larger than 3cm are likely to be malignant lesions.
Finally, the growth of lung tumor cells requires a certain growth cycle, and in general, rapid tumor enlargement occurs in very few cases. Especially when the nodule is very small, even if it is malignant, it takes 3-6 months to see changes in its size, shape, etc. on CT, and the probability of diffusion and metastasis is also very small. Therefore, when discovering pulmonary nodules, remember to "closely observe and follow up for a long time", and there is no need to "talk about getting scared" or panic too much.