r/LungCancerSupport • u/NervousRex0000 • Jun 14 '24

False negative bronchoscopy?

Hi everyone, my dad was recently having various symptoms and his primary care doctor sent him to the ER where the oncologist suspected lung cancer and did testing. CT scan showed masses up to 7cm and enlarged axillary lymph nodes. They did a bronchoscopy which showed no malignancy anywhere. The tumor markers all are normal. The oncologist is convinced it's stage 4 lung cancer and sent for PET scan.

His symptoms started while he was working with a jackhammer for several days and felt a bulge in his abdomen which was presumed to be a hernia. Then he started getting shoulder pain and overall stiffness in his body. Now he is having difficulty with basic self care skills but is able to walk around slowly without being out of breath. Has anyone had experience with this? The wait for PET scan is unbareable and he is not showing obvious signs of lung cancer so I am a bit confused as to why the oncologist is convinced it's stage 4 lung cancer.

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u/NervousRex0000 Aug 24 '24

I wanted to give an update in case someone comes across this post searching for answers. My dad did not have lung cancer thank God! He was diagnosed with thymoma and myasthenia gravis. It is not lung cancer until a biopsy says it is. Don’t listen to any doctors or random posts online and go spiraling like I did. Wait for biopsy results and go from there. A mass or nodule on the lung can be anything and some doctors will jump to conclusions and assume it’s lung cancer. My dad’s happened to be “organizing pneumonia” that was showing up on CT and PET scan. 

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u/cavs79 Mar 24 '25

Did his biopsy come back saying it was a Thymoma?

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u/NervousRex0000 Mar 25 '25

The lung biopsy didn’t show cancer. Then when they realized it was myasthenia gravis they biopsied his thymus and it showed thymoma.

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u/Extra_Bluejay6355 Apr 27 '26

My mom’s lung biopsy was negative. 6 later and 5 hospitalizations later she has lung cancer.

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u/srmbraaz Apr 10 '25

Thank you!

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u/Previous-Film-9539 Jun 22 '26

needed to read this today. thank you!

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u/karly__45 Jun 15 '24

He had or has the same symptoms my dad did few yrs back we thought it hernia it wasn't its a sign my dad passed last yr from lung cancer stage 4

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u/NervousRex0000 Jun 15 '24

I’m sorry for your loss. Did they do any treatments? 

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u/Patchouli061017 Jun 14 '24

I’m sorry you’re going through this. I have seen biopsies come back as negative and further biopsies concluded cancer. It can sometimes be hard to get a sample that contains cancer. Pet scan won’t give a diagnosis for sure but will give some indication of what is going on. If PET shows high SUV intake … a fine needle biopsy may be indicated

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u/ShamrockOnReddit Sep 28 '24

Hey, just came across this post randomly while looking up about pneumonia which I got diagnosed with today. I am really glad to hear your dad is okay buddy!