Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
My friend has been having left shoulder pain for months. For the last three weeks, he has also been having hoarseness in his voice (can barely speak) and little energy. He is eating well, but not gaining weight. He has no other symptoms. He is a carpenter and 50 years old. He smokes cigarettes, weed and crack cocaine. I think he has been doing this for 30 years.
Today, his blood test and blood pressure are fine. His chest X-ray came back with a large mass on his left lung; it looked large to me. He was given a TB shot; other than that, they suggested a specialist due to the symptoms, which are present in lung mass symptoms in smokers. It was an ER visit, so they did not say much other than it could be cancer. What does this sound like to you?
I deeply appreciate any of your help. Thanking you in advance.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
We are here to help you, and I am really sorry to hear about his state.
The description given by you about large lung mass symptoms in your smoker friend, along with the X-ray findings (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity), supports the diagnosis of lung cancer. Although tuberculosis is a possibility, it is less likely. Hoarseness of voice is a symptom of mass compression caused by a lung mass.
Therefore, my strong recommendation would be to go for a CT (computed tomography) scan of the chest as soon as possible, along with FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) of the mass to confirm the diagnosis and initiate treatment.
I hope this helps.
Feel free to reach out in case of any further queries.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Thank you, doctor.
I forgot to mention that he is having chest pain and some difficulty in breathing. I am scared.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Chest pain and breathlessness are a part of this problem. Only as the mass compresses the chest, causing chest pain, and the area of chest expansion is decreased as a result of the mass, causing breathlessness.
I really cannot comment on the life expectancy without knowing the type of cancer, if it is. A lot of times, the mass is not a cancer and is benign in nature, which can be removed with good life expectancy.
In case it is malignant, the histopathology would tell us the type, which would decide the treatment course as well as the life expectancy. If this is declared as cancer, we also need to find out whether this is local only or has metastasized.
First of all, we need to be sure what it is exactly, whether it is a cancer, a growth, or tuberculosis.
I hope this helps.
Feel free to reach out in case of any further queries.
Thank you.
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Answered byDr. Anshul Varshney
Medically reviewed byiCliniq medical review team
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
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