I agree that a PET scan sounds like it might be a good alternative..
it's non-invasive and measures the cellular activity going on, rather than
focussing on
the anatomical .....from what i've read (I'm no doctor) when it is used in
conjunction
with CT scans, it is as accurate as the more invasive techniques. Since they
scan the whole body, it also would
highlight any other areas of possible metastases...
When it was being suggested to me, I learned that it is used almost
exclusively at the VA hospital
affilliated with Stanford University, to diagnose single pulmonary nodules..
One drawback I noted for myself was that if it did identify that there is
cancer, it is not
useful for determining what kind of cancer...so I don't know how treatment
options are
determined when PET scanning is used....maybe it's a first step...in any
case, probably
worth discussing with the doctor....
Torie
At 07:02 PM 12/9/97 -0800, you wrote:
>Hello
>
>I wonder if you could help me out. My father has COPD and emphasyma and
>a black dot (as large as a button) on his left lung. The doctor thinks
>it is lung cancer, but he is afraid to do a Biobsy because his he thinks
>his lung will collapse. Yes, dad smoked for as many as 40 years. He
>stopped smoking 10 years ago. Is there any other way to check if he has
>cancer besides a Biopsy?
>
>Thanks for your reply.
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