Management of discrete pulmonary nodules

Abstract

In the case of a pulmonary nodule on preoperative examination or during postoperative follow-up of breast cancer patients, it can be difficult to distinguish between primary lung cancer, a metastatic pulmonary tumor, and a benign pulmonary lesion. The size, morphology, and number of nodules are helpful parameters for differential diagnoses in many cases, whereas more interventional methods are required to clarify the etiology of progression at follow-up. Benign lesions such as atypical pneumonia, tuberculosis, atypical mycobacteria, inflammatory granuloma, rheumatoid nodules, and atypical bronchoalveolar hyperplasia are also common in immunocompromised patients who underwent multiple cycles of chemotherapy.