About Lung Nodules
Commonly called a “spot on the lung” or a “shadow,” a nodule is a round area that is more solid than normal lung tissue. It shows up as a white spot on a computed tomography (CT) scan. Lung nodules are usually caused by scar tissue, a healed infection that may never have made you sick or some irritant in the air. Sometimes, a nodule can be an early lung cancer.
Even if a nodule turns out to be lung cancer, it's likely to be an early-stage lung cancer. People with early-stage lung cancer who receive treatment have a better chance of survivorship than people who are diagnosed at a later stage when the cancer has started to cause symptoms. Learn more about lung nodules below.
Symptoms and Risk Factors of Lung Nodules
In general, small nodules don’t cause any noticeable problems. They’re too small to cause pain or breathing problems.
Fewer than 5% of all nodules turn out to be cancer. Cancer is more likely in patients who:
- Are older
- Have a larger nodule
- Have other cancer risks, such as lung cancer in your family or handling asbestos in the past
- Smoked or still smoke cigarettes
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