What does it mean to have a lesion in your lung?

Lung nodules, pulmonary nodules, white spots, lesions—these terms all describe the same phenomenon: an abnormality in the lungs. Lung nodules are commonly found after a patient undergoes a chest CT scan for some reason, such as when a patient experiences symptoms of lung disease or during a lung cancer screening.

What percentage of lung lesions are cancerous?

Overall, the likelihood that a lung nodule is a cancer is approximately 40 percent, but the risk of a lung nodule being cancerous varies considerably depending on several things, including: Age: Rare in people under 35 years of age. Half of lung nodules in people over age 50 are malignant.

Is a mass in the lung always cancer?

Yes, lung nodules can be cancerous, though most lung nodules are noncancerous (benign). Lung nodules — small masses of tissue in the lung — are quite common. They appear as round, white shadows on a chest X-ray or computerized tomography (CT) scan.

What’s the difference between a lesion and a tumor?

A lesion describes any area of damaged tissue. All tumors are lesions, but not all lesions are tumors. Other brain lesions can be caused by stroke, injury, encephalitis and arteriovenous malformation.

Is a 3 cm lung tumor big?

A stage IIA cancer describes a tumor larger than 4 cm but 5 cm or less in size that has not spread to the nearby lymph nodes. Stage IIB lung cancer describes a tumor that is 5 cm or less in size that has spread to the lymph nodes within the lung, called the N1 lymph nodes.

Can a lung mass be removed?

Attempts to cure lung cancer with the surgery involve removing the tumor along with some surrounding lung tissue and often lymph nodes in the region of the tumor. Removing the tumor with lung cancer surgery is considered the best option when the cancer is localized and unlikely to have spread.

What is a stellate tumor on the right breast?

A large, obviously malignant tumor in the right breast. Mammography Fig. 60 a, b: Right breast, MLO and CC projections. Centrally located, large (5 cm diameter) stellate tumor. The nipple and areola are retracted. The skin is thickened and retracted over the lower and outer portions of the breast.

What is an example of a stellate malignant tumor?

This is an illustrative example of an advanced stellate malignant breast tumor with a large central tumor mass and radiating spicules that retract the areola and skin. Histology Infiltrating ductal carcinoma.

What is the pathophysiology of stellate tumors with spicules?

The presence of a central tumor mass with associated spicules is typical of malignant stellate tumors. The spicules are dense and sharp, radiating from the tumor surface, usually not bunched together. When they extend to the skin or areolar region they cause retraction and local thickening. The larger the tumor mass,…

What is a thin walled lung lesion?

The glossary further defines them as usually thin walled (i.e. < 2 mm) [1]. The wall thickness of the cavitary lung lesions in solitary disease can be useful in differentiating between benign and malignant disorders.