Has anyone ever had the needle guided CT scan?

That sounds like a very small tumor. Less than a cm sounds like you caught it early, and its probably very difficult for a surgeon to know what’s tumor and what’s good lung. Lung surgery is a LOT to go through to remove a jelly bean…you’ll have a chest tube (which is pretty uncomfortable) and be in the hospital at least a few days. A CT guided biopsy would only take a tiny piece of the tumor for them to diagnose if it’s melanoma or something else, not actually remove the tumor.

Has the onc mentioned other drug therapies? You might want to go that route before surgery to see if you can shrink it without going through such a hard surgery.

Keep us updated! You’ll be in my thought s!

That sounds like a very small tumor. Less than a cm sounds like you caught it early, and its probably very difficult for a surgeon to know what’s tumor and what’s good lung. Lung surgery is a LOT to go through to remove a jelly bean…you’ll have a chest tube (which is pretty uncomfortable) and be in the hospital at least a few days. A CT guided biopsy would only take a tiny piece of the tumor for them to diagnose if it’s melanoma or something else, not actually remove the tumor.

Has the onc mentioned other drug therapies? You might want to go that route before surgery to see if you can shrink it without going through such a hard surgery.

Keep us updated! You’ll be in my thought s!

That sounds like a very small tumor. Less than a cm sounds like you caught it early, and its probably very difficult for a surgeon to know what’s tumor and what’s good lung. Lung surgery is a LOT to go through to remove a jelly bean…you’ll have a chest tube (which is pretty uncomfortable) and be in the hospital at least a few days. A CT guided biopsy would only take a tiny piece of the tumor for them to diagnose if it’s melanoma or something else, not actually remove the tumor.

Has the onc mentioned other drug therapies? You might want to go that route before surgery to see if you can shrink it without going through such a hard surgery.

Keep us updated! You’ll be in my thought s!

Greg,

I've had two needle guided biopsies as part of the clinical trial I was in.  The met biopied on me was in my abdomen area.  It was very painless.  All I got for pain was the needle numbing at the point of entry.  I may have gotten a little something through my port to relax me but I know I was conscious through the whole thing.  In my case they went through my back.  You would think you would feel that thing zig zagging through your inards but I didn't feel a thing.  .8 mm does sound pretty small to try and get at.  Mine was about 3 cm at the time of the procedure.  Good luck to you.

Brian

Greg,

I've had two needle guided biopsies as part of the clinical trial I was in.  The met biopied on me was in my abdomen area.  It was very painless.  All I got for pain was the needle numbing at the point of entry.  I may have gotten a little something through my port to relax me but I know I was conscious through the whole thing.  In my case they went through my back.  You would think you would feel that thing zig zagging through your inards but I didn't feel a thing.  .8 mm does sound pretty small to try and get at.  Mine was about 3 cm at the time of the procedure.  Good luck to you.

Brian

Greg,

I've had two needle guided biopsies as part of the clinical trial I was in.  The met biopied on me was in my abdomen area.  It was very painless.  All I got for pain was the needle numbing at the point of entry.  I may have gotten a little something through my port to relax me but I know I was conscious through the whole thing.  In my case they went through my back.  You would think you would feel that thing zig zagging through your inards but I didn't feel a thing.  .8 mm does sound pretty small to try and get at.  Mine was about 3 cm at the time of the procedure.  Good luck to you.

Brian

My father had a ct guided biopsy of the lung, and for him, it was a tough procedure.  He was older and had a very difficult time lying still.  They had to keep going back and forth – another picture, another attempt and his procedure took quite some time.  It was also painful for him.  He ended up having a collapsed lung.  My dad was in his 80s, had arthritis that made laying on his side and lying perfectly still difficult and was also hard of hearing which made communication harder.  But it was a very difficult and painful procedure for him.  My father had had a melanoma primary (stage 2) but his lung tumor was actually lung cancer – the main reason they needed to do a biopsy.  The appearance was more consistent with lung cancer but having a melanoma history muddied the waters.  Obviously, you might be able to sail thru with ease, but it can become more complicated and painful.  Just showing the worst case side.

My father had a ct guided biopsy of the lung, and for him, it was a tough procedure.  He was older and had a very difficult time lying still.  They had to keep going back and forth – another picture, another attempt and his procedure took quite some time.  It was also painful for him.  He ended up having a collapsed lung.  My dad was in his 80s, had arthritis that made laying on his side and lying perfectly still difficult and was also hard of hearing which made communication harder.  But it was a very difficult and painful procedure for him.  My father had had a melanoma primary (stage 2) but his lung tumor was actually lung cancer – the main reason they needed to do a biopsy.  The appearance was more consistent with lung cancer but having a melanoma history muddied the waters.  Obviously, you might be able to sail thru with ease, but it can become more complicated and painful.  Just showing the worst case side.

My father had a ct guided biopsy of the lung, and for him, it was a tough procedure.  He was older and had a very difficult time lying still.  They had to keep going back and forth – another picture, another attempt and his procedure took quite some time.  It was also painful for him.  He ended up having a collapsed lung.  My dad was in his 80s, had arthritis that made laying on his side and lying perfectly still difficult and was also hard of hearing which made communication harder.  But it was a very difficult and painful procedure for him.  My father had had a melanoma primary (stage 2) but his lung tumor was actually lung cancer – the main reason they needed to do a biopsy.  The appearance was more consistent with lung cancer but having a melanoma history muddied the waters.  Obviously, you might be able to sail thru with ease, but it can become more complicated and painful.  Just showing the worst case side.

I had a needle biopsy done.  I have/had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in my upper lobe, right near my sternum.  (The tumor is still there, but shrinking thanks to Keytruda.)   I have to admit it was quite traumatic for me.  Not because of the pain, I have a high pain tolerance, but because of location!  For some reason I had envisioned me laying on my back or side and them doing the procedure out of sight.    However, the needle was going into my chest just 3-5 inches away from my face and I don't like needles.  It was physiological for me, the sights, the smells, the sounds.  I closed my eyes, but it was all just a little too close for my liking.   I also had weird pains for weeks afterwards, but not pain medication worthy, just weird sensations.  So my advice, find out where your tumor is so you know where they are going in, just to prepare yourself.  

Good luck.  I am sorry you have Melanoma..it is no fun.

Allyson

I had a needle biopsy done.  I have/had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in my upper lobe, right near my sternum.  (The tumor is still there, but shrinking thanks to Keytruda.)   I have to admit it was quite traumatic for me.  Not because of the pain, I have a high pain tolerance, but because of location!  For some reason I had envisioned me laying on my back or side and them doing the procedure out of sight.    However, the needle was going into my chest just 3-5 inches away from my face and I don't like needles.  It was physiological for me, the sights, the smells, the sounds.  I closed my eyes, but it was all just a little too close for my liking.   I also had weird pains for weeks afterwards, but not pain medication worthy, just weird sensations.  So my advice, find out where your tumor is so you know where they are going in, just to prepare yourself.  

Good luck.  I am sorry you have Melanoma..it is no fun.

Allyson

I had a needle biopsy done.  I have/had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in my upper lobe, right near my sternum.  (The tumor is still there, but shrinking thanks to Keytruda.)   I have to admit it was quite traumatic for me.  Not because of the pain, I have a high pain tolerance, but because of location!  For some reason I had envisioned me laying on my back or side and them doing the procedure out of sight.    However, the needle was going into my chest just 3-5 inches away from my face and I don't like needles.  It was physiological for me, the sights, the smells, the sounds.  I closed my eyes, but it was all just a little too close for my liking.   I also had weird pains for weeks afterwards, but not pain medication worthy, just weird sensations.  So my advice, find out where your tumor is so you know where they are going in, just to prepare yourself.  

Good luck.  I am sorry you have Melanoma..it is no fun.

Allyson

Hi Greg,

Well I've had both done.  I had lung surgical biopsy the first time because my spot was too small for a lung needle biopsy and I didn't want to wait for it to get bigger.  They diagnosed the wrong cancer that time and removed my upper right lobe.  Took about a year before I fully recovered from that surgery.

Then I had my recurrence in January 2014.  They wanted to biopsy because the cancer they thought I had (spindle cell carcinoid) doesn't behave that way.  I did the CT guided lung needle biopsy that time.  That was really rough for me.  I could have handled it fine if it had been a shorter procedure.  But it took a long time for them to send me in the machine, come out and tap on the needle a bit, send me back in the machine, tap on the needle some more, etc. to get it in the right position.  Then when they snipped the tumor for the biopsy they hit a vein or artery and I started coughing up blood.  They warned me that was possible about 5 minutes before they started and told me it was no bigger deal than bleeding at the dentist.  For whatever reason I had trouble re-gaining my breath after that and my oxygen saturation went down to 80.  They kept slapping me yelling at me to calm down and breathe which was not at all calming.  I was done at that point.  I tried shouting for them to stop but it came out as a weak whisper.  When they started to send me into the machine again I did the only thing I could think of to make them stop.  I reached up to grab the needle out of my chest.  That got their attention and they stopped the procedure.  They ended up with enough tumor to diagnose anyway, I guess they just wanted to make sure.

Clearly, I survived both procedures and I breathe just fine now.  But they were both pretty rough for me.  Just something to be endured if you must do one.  Recovery was easier with the needle biopsy (outpatient).  Good luck to you.

Hi Greg,

Well I've had both done.  I had lung surgical biopsy the first time because my spot was too small for a lung needle biopsy and I didn't want to wait for it to get bigger.  They diagnosed the wrong cancer that time and removed my upper right lobe.  Took about a year before I fully recovered from that surgery.

Then I had my recurrence in January 2014.  They wanted to biopsy because the cancer they thought I had (spindle cell carcinoid) doesn't behave that way.  I did the CT guided lung needle biopsy that time.  That was really rough for me.  I could have handled it fine if it had been a shorter procedure.  But it took a long time for them to send me in the machine, come out and tap on the needle a bit, send me back in the machine, tap on the needle some more, etc. to get it in the right position.  Then when they snipped the tumor for the biopsy they hit a vein or artery and I started coughing up blood.  They warned me that was possible about 5 minutes before they started and told me it was no bigger deal than bleeding at the dentist.  For whatever reason I had trouble re-gaining my breath after that and my oxygen saturation went down to 80.  They kept slapping me yelling at me to calm down and breathe which was not at all calming.  I was done at that point.  I tried shouting for them to stop but it came out as a weak whisper.  When they started to send me into the machine again I did the only thing I could think of to make them stop.  I reached up to grab the needle out of my chest.  That got their attention and they stopped the procedure.  They ended up with enough tumor to diagnose anyway, I guess they just wanted to make sure.

Clearly, I survived both procedures and I breathe just fine now.  But they were both pretty rough for me.  Just something to be endured if you must do one.  Recovery was easier with the needle biopsy (outpatient).  Good luck to you.

Hi Greg,

Well I've had both done.  I had lung surgical biopsy the first time because my spot was too small for a lung needle biopsy and I didn't want to wait for it to get bigger.  They diagnosed the wrong cancer that time and removed my upper right lobe.  Took about a year before I fully recovered from that surgery.

Then I had my recurrence in January 2014.  They wanted to biopsy because the cancer they thought I had (spindle cell carcinoid) doesn't behave that way.  I did the CT guided lung needle biopsy that time.  That was really rough for me.  I could have handled it fine if it had been a shorter procedure.  But it took a long time for them to send me in the machine, come out and tap on the needle a bit, send me back in the machine, tap on the needle some more, etc. to get it in the right position.  Then when they snipped the tumor for the biopsy they hit a vein or artery and I started coughing up blood.  They warned me that was possible about 5 minutes before they started and told me it was no bigger deal than bleeding at the dentist.  For whatever reason I had trouble re-gaining my breath after that and my oxygen saturation went down to 80.  They kept slapping me yelling at me to calm down and breathe which was not at all calming.  I was done at that point.  I tried shouting for them to stop but it came out as a weak whisper.  When they started to send me into the machine again I did the only thing I could think of to make them stop.  I reached up to grab the needle out of my chest.  That got their attention and they stopped the procedure.  They ended up with enough tumor to diagnose anyway, I guess they just wanted to make sure.

Clearly, I survived both procedures and I breathe just fine now.  But they were both pretty rough for me.  Just something to be endured if you must do one.  Recovery was easier with the needle biopsy (outpatient).  Good luck to you.

Hi Greg, did they say at what size that they would biopsy the tumor at? I would probably want to know what I was dealing with before cutting out part of my body!!! I had a 3.5cm tumor in my right lung, in a location that they couldn't remove so biopsy was the only option at the time. Some thing else that you might want to push your oncologist on is a brain scan. Not all Oncologist are proactive and Lung and brain mets can happen together as I found out. Finding melanoma mets early where the tumor burden is small is better. I am not going to sugar coat lung biopsy procedures, it is a pretty sporty experience. I have my treatments at a teaching hospital and having a rookie doctor doing the procedure was very interesting to say the least. Wishing you the best!!! Ed 

Hi Greg, did they say at what size that they would biopsy the tumor at? I would probably want to know what I was dealing with before cutting out part of my body!!! I had a 3.5cm tumor in my right lung, in a location that they couldn't remove so biopsy was the only option at the time. Some thing else that you might want to push your oncologist on is a brain scan. Not all Oncologist are proactive and Lung and brain mets can happen together as I found out. Finding melanoma mets early where the tumor burden is small is better. I am not going to sugar coat lung biopsy procedures, it is a pretty sporty experience. I have my treatments at a teaching hospital and having a rookie doctor doing the procedure was very interesting to say the least. Wishing you the best!!! Ed 

Hi Greg, did they say at what size that they would biopsy the tumor at? I would probably want to know what I was dealing with before cutting out part of my body!!! I had a 3.5cm tumor in my right lung, in a location that they couldn't remove so biopsy was the only option at the time. Some thing else that you might want to push your oncologist on is a brain scan. Not all Oncologist are proactive and Lung and brain mets can happen together as I found out. Finding melanoma mets early where the tumor burden is small is better. I am not going to sugar coat lung biopsy procedures, it is a pretty sporty experience. I have my treatments at a teaching hospital and having a rookie doctor doing the procedure was very interesting to say the least. Wishing you the best!!! Ed 

My husband had a lung biopsy back in 2013. He was very sedated and was comfortable through the biopsy. The worst part for him was having the cheast tube in after. After two days they took the tube out and he did have a small area of collapsed lung which they just monitored for a few days. It's not the easiest thing in the world but at least we knew what we were up against. Best of Luck.

Emily

My husband had a lung biopsy back in 2013. He was very sedated and was comfortable through the biopsy. The worst part for him was having the cheast tube in after. After two days they took the tube out and he did have a small area of collapsed lung which they just monitored for a few days. It's not the easiest thing in the world but at least we knew what we were up against. Best of Luck.

Emily

My husband had a lung biopsy back in 2013. He was very sedated and was comfortable through the biopsy. The worst part for him was having the cheast tube in after. After two days they took the tube out and he did have a small area of collapsed lung which they just monitored for a few days. It's not the easiest thing in the world but at least we knew what we were up against. Best of Luck.

Emily