Multiple small nodules in lung after lung cancer surgery should be treated reasonably according to patient’s specific condition and medical advice.
Usually, multiple small nodules in the lung can be categorized into solid nodules, partially solid nodules and pure ground glass nodules.
In case of non-solid nodules with nodule size less than 6mm, people with high risk of lung cancer need to undergo CT screening every year, while people with non-high risk of lung cancer need to review thin-layer thoracic CT once every 12 months after the discovery, and continue to follow up if the nodule decreases or remains unchanged, or undergo surgical treatment if the nodule increases in size.
For solid lung nodules with a diameter of 6~8mm, annual low-dose CT screening is required for people at high risk of lung cancer, while non-high-risk people need to review low-dose CT once every 12 months or so after discovery, and biopsy/surgery can be considered if the nodule is enlarged.
If solid nodules are larger than 8 mm, annual low-dose CT screening is required for those at high risk for lung cancer, and follow-up is required for those not at high risk, and the treatment decision for some solid nodules is the same as that for others.
For pure ground-glass nodules less than 6 mm in size, thin-layer chest CT should be repeated 12 months after discovery, while patients with a size larger than 6 mm should have thin-layer chest CT repeated around the 6th to 12th month after discovery, and thin-layer chest CT should be repeated every 1 to 2 years until the completion of 5 years.
If the nodules decrease, continue annual low-dose CT screening for those at high risk for lung cancer, and follow up as prescribed by the physician for those not at high risk.
Patients with multiple small nodules in the lungs after lung cancer surgery are advised to choose reasonable treatment measures after evaluation by a physician.