Hi, I am new to this site but had to send a message after reading your comments on shoulder pain. My husband was diagnosed with lung cancer a year ago - specifically a pancoast tumor on his upper left lung. He went through 2 surgeries prior to this diagnosis at Cleveland Clinic. He went to a local dr. in December 05 because his pain coming from his shoulder blades had gotten so bad he wasn't sleeping and just could not function at all. Pain went down his left arm and had numbness down to fingers. The dr. said he had a torn muscle is his left shoulder and removed a bone spur. This was in Feb 06. By August he was worst so we made our own appt at Cleveland Clinic. We still went to the spine institutue thinking it was some kind of should injury. The dr. there knew within 3 hours what it was. Without having the chest xray back she said this tumor caused all problems he was describing and the chest xray confirmed it. The tumor was laying on all nerves and blood vessels to cause his pain and numbness down his arm. This was August 24, 2006. He started chemo and radiation a few weeks later. The tumor responded to the treatment and is gone but the cancer spread to both lungs and the dr. said this is rare for this type of tumor to spread.
I caution all to not commit to any surgery for a suspected 'shoulder' injury without getting a second opion and more xrays and scans. He goes for scans next week - every 9 weeks now and has a bio drug treatment - not Chemo every 21 days. good luck
On 2/26/2007
Rdawson618 wrote:
On 1/1/2007
Jasmin wrote:
My mom has lung cancer, not sure what stage now since she has stopped going to oncologist. Probably Stage 3 by now. She has had persistent shoulder pain in the past month or two and headaches (which she never had before) practically daily. She is nauseous also but the Compazine the DR recently prescribed is helping. I read on a web site that shoulder pain is consistent with lung cancer since the tumor presses against a nerve that goes to the shoulder. So far Tylenol and aspirin has helped. Has anyone that has lung cancer or knows someone that has lung cancer experienced this? I was just wondering if it could be tied to the lung cancer.
Thanks,
Debbie
I was diagnosed on January 5th with lung cancer. i am in the 3rd stage. shoulder pain and numbness were 2 of the symptons that sent me to the emergency room and after diagnosis i was told the same thing about tumor laying on certain nerves which cause this pain. i am currently on percocet and oxycotin. i am 48 yrs old.
Renee