Wang Ping is an executive at a state-owned enterprise, and she is busy with work and often socializes. During a physical examination, Wang Ping's chest CT scan found a 6mm ground-glass nodule in the upper lobe of the right lung. The moment she saw the report, Wang Ping felt that the world was spinning.
Fear and anxiety gripped Wang Ping's heart. She tossed and turned, couldn't sleep all night, and countless "ifs" came to her mind: What should I do if it was really lung cancer? Who would handle the company's affairs if I had surgery? What would happen to my family if her condition worsened?
Accompanied by her family, Wang Ping came to a well-known hospital in the city.
The medical oncologist carefully examined her CT film, and after a moment of silence, he said: "Judging from the film, your lung nodule is small, but its nature is unknown. I recommend a further PET-CT first to see if there are any other areas involved. If there is no obvious abnormality, it can be observed for a period of time and rechecked regularly. "
"Doctor, do you mean that you don't need surgery right away? But I have checked a lot of information, and they all say that lung nodules are likely to be early manifestations of lung cancer, and the longer it drags on, the greater the risk. Wang Ping's tone was full of anxiety.
"I understand your concern. "But you have to know that most of the 6mm ground-glass nodules are benign." Even if it is a malignant tumor, such a small lesion is generally adenocarcinoma in situ, which grows slowly and is unlikely to deteriorate in a short period of time. In contrast, excessive medical treatment can be physically harmful. Not to mention the trauma of surgery, the risk of postoperative complications is not small. We are now advocating 'think before you act' and observation is better than aggressive treatment. "
Wang Ping was skeptical: "But what if it's really lung cancer? If it is not treated early, will it miss the best time?"
"Rest assured, we will closely monitor the changes in the condition. Once the nodule is found to be enlarged or changed in nature, targeted treatment will be taken immediately, and the disease will never be delayed. The doctor's words were full of power and made Wang Ping feel a little relieved.
After leaving the hospital, Wang Ping fell into deep thought. As a knowledgeable medical officer, she clearly knows that a small nodule in the lungs is not a manifesto for lung cancer.
Relevant studies have shown that the malignant proportion of ground-glass nodules below 6mm is less than 10%. Even if it is a malignant lesion, most of them are adenocarcinoma in situ or microinvasive adenocarcinoma, which grows slowly, and the five-year survival rate is basically as high as 100%.
In contrast, excessive medical treatment can carry unnecessary risks of trauma and complications.
Wang Ping recalled the doctor's words and couldn't help but feel relieved. Yes, in the face of diseases, we must be vigilant, but we must not be all soldiers, let alone blindly treated. Every medical decision should be based on scientific evidence and individualized analysis.
In real life, many people blindly choose surgical resection when facing small lung nodules because of excessive panic, and the results are confirmed to be benign lesions, not only suffering from surgical trauma, but also facing complications. This is undoubtedly a pity.
In the face of the threat of lung cancer, we must be vigilant, but we must also be rational. For small nodules in the lungs, especially ground-glass nodules below 6mm, we need to learn to "think before we act".
It is advisable to dynamically monitor the evolution of the lesion through regular follow-up and necessary imaging tests, and to take individualized treatment at the appropriate time.
Wang Ping's story has given us valuable inspiration. In the face of the haze of disease, we must learn to treat it with a scientific vision and a rational attitude. Let medical evidence be our guiding light, and let the individualized diagnosis and treatment plan become our weapon in the fight against disease. Only in this way can we win the initiative in the game against disease and let the flower of life bloom on the field of hope.