Bronchoscopy and Lungs

[mizfiesta]

My Mum has COPD (emphysema) and recently has been experiencing pain in her back. She's also coughed up blood a couple of times. She went to her GP who sent her for a lung x-ray as you'd expect. The GP called her a few days later to say that there was something 'not right' with the scan and she was to go in for a CT scan. That was on Friday, and today (Wednesday) she went back to the hospital to speak to the consultant. I spoke with my Mum half an hour ago by phone, but she was about as clear as mud in describing what the Doc told her. She just said everything was fine and it's nothing serious. There were people in visiting her so that would have been distracting her but she's also never the best at relaying information and gets mixed up. I also have the annoying habit of wanting every bit of information and asking questions, but then I have been worried about her (particularly as the symptoms could've indicated the big 'C') so I guess I did want to know everything. Anyway she says he said something about some kind of fat we have in our bodies (maybe the stuff that surrounds the organs? I don't know) and that for some reason hers has moved? He has scheduled her in for a bronchcoscopy. I asked her if he told her it wasn't cancer but she said no one mentioned cancer or tumour or masses or anything. So I guess this IS just about some kinda internal fat?? And they would be wanting to perform a bronchoscopy why? If the Doc did suspect something more sinister would he mention it? Sorry about all the questions but my mum was too quick on the phone to explain it all to me so it's left me a bit worried. If it was me going to the hospital about myself, I'd be asking all kinds of questions. Can anyone shine any light?

[Sqad]

COPD coughing up blood. Abnormal shadow on X-Ray.
Bronchoscopy would be needed to determine the nature of the chest X-Ray abnormality.

Fat? no idea and it doesn't even ring a bell.

More likely the "fat" is a lymph node......just a guess.

No I do't think that the doctor would have mentioned the "C" word even if he suspected it.

You will have to wait for the result of the bronchoscopy, but if it is any consolation, cancer is NOT the commonest cause of coughing up blood in COPD

[mizfiesta]

Maybe some kind of fatty tissue or visceral fat? The x-ray and ct scan was of her lungs so maybe from around that area? I'm sure she said the consultant said this 'fat' or 'fatty' stuff had moved and wasn't where it was originally. My mother is clear as mud sometimes! She never relays a story properly which is kinda frustrating when it comes to her health as I do worry obviously.

[mizfiesta]

Sqad, I've been meaning to leave an update on an old question on mine for a while. Further to my recent post my Mum went for a bronchoscopy but they couldn't 'see' anything. Fast forward to the beginning of this year -Jan 2014- and my Mum was diagnosed with lung cancer (stage 4). It had been there all the time, but due to the positioning of the tumour, it was missed.

My Mum died in August. I'd thought I'd update thread as there are so many cases of cancer go undiagnosed until it's too late.