Will the nodules hidden in your body turn into cancer? 4 common nodules, don't ignore these indicators

Nowadays, almost no one can escape unscathed in the physical examination report.

Although most people do not have any serious health problems, the word "nodules" still appear in the report, such as lung nodules, breast nodules, thyroid nodules...

These nodules are just a small dot on the image, but many people are still afraid of them:

Nodules can turn into cancer!

Some people even say that nodules are a disease between benign tumors and malignant tumors, which further deepens people's understanding that "nodules can become cancerous."

So what exactly are nodules? Can they really turn into cancer? What can we do about it? Let’s talk about it today.

Many people believe that the nodules mentioned in the physical examination report or by the doctor are a disease diagnosis. In fact, it is not. Nodules are just a descriptive term in imaging, referring to the size of the lesion (less than 75px in diameter), not the nature of the lesion.

In other words, a nodule is an image observation, and its essence is a relatively small tumor growing anywhere in our body. As for the specific condition of this tumor, the image cannot determine it. For example:

👉Local inflammation, imaging shows that it may be a tumor;

👉Old inflammation may also appear as a lump;

👉Tissue hyperplasia may also look like a lump;

👉If you have a tumor, no matter whether it is benign or malignant, it still looks like a small lump...

Therefore, when a nodule is found during a physical examination, you can ask a doctor to help you judge the condition of the nodule. For example, the doctor may further palpate and make a preliminary judgment based on whether the surface of the nodule is smooth, whether the shape is regular, whether the surrounding border is clear, or whether there is enlarged lymph nodes.

If it is a benign nodule, basically only regular follow-up is required, and the possibility of metastasis and spread is very small.

As mentioned above, benign nodules are almost never cancerous. Take the common inflammatory nodules as an example:

For example, the lungs, as respiratory organs, are often involved in battles with bacteria and viruses, and the appearance of nodules may be a relic of the war. The most typical example is tuberculosis. Many people have been infected with tuberculosis bacteria but have no symptoms, leaving only the words "calcified nodules" on the chest X-ray to remember the war between bacteria and the human immune system.

However, there are two types of nodules that need attention. One type is malignant nodules, which are actually early tumors; the other type is mixed nodules, that is, benign and malignant nodules coexist, and the overall development process is slower than that of malignant nodules.

These two types of nodules are difficult to distinguish simply through imaging, and need to be judged in combination with other manifestations:

👉The nodule changes in size, shape, border, color, or suddenly ruptures in a short period of time;

👉Whether there is a family history of cancer. For example, people with a family history of rectal cancer are more likely to have rectal polyps turning into cancer, and the same is true for breast lesions.

If you have these two conditions, you need to go to a regular hospital for examination and diagnosis.

Taking the lungs as an example, if the lung nodules are large and accompanied by a long history of smoking or a family history of lung cancer, or if the physical examination results at intervals of six months or one year show that the nodules have increased significantly, further examinations should be conducted to confirm the diagnosis through enhanced CT, biopsy, etc. If malignant nodules are confirmed or highly suspected, relevant treatments should be carried out.

Thyroid nodules

👉 If the diameter of the nodule is less than 1cm (usually it can be felt when it is greater than 1cm), in principle, there is no need to worry or worry about it. Only a few cases require thyroid fine needle puncture;

👉If the diameter of the nodule is 1~4cm, a puncture examination must be performed;

👉If the diameter of the nodule is greater than 4cm, it is likely to have developed into a malignant tumor and needs to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

Pulmonary nodules

👉Nodules with a diameter of less than 0.5cm are mostly benign, but be careful if the diameter is greater than 0.8cm.

👉A low-dose spiral CT scan once a year is the correct method for early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment of lung cancer.

Breast nodules

👉Those assessed as grade 2 or below are generally benign lesions and require annual review;

👉Grade 3 nodules can be reviewed every 3 to 6 months to observe changes;

👉If the disease is grade 4 or above, further examination is required, and a puncture biopsy may be performed if necessary to clarify the nature of the disease.

👏Tips: This classification is the result of BI-RADS classification, which analyzes the risk of malignancy of nodules according to the shape, boundary, aspect ratio, presence or absence of calcification and blood flow of nodules, and is divided into 6 levels. This is also the breast imaging report and data system that is widely recognized internationally.

Swollen lymph nodes

👉Many people may experience swollen lymph nodes after catching a cold, fever, gingivitis, or pharyngitis.

👉Note: If the lymph nodes are swollen but not painful, especially if they are accompanied by irregular fever for a long time, you should go to a professional medical institution for diagnosis and screening as soon as possible. The most typical manifestation of malignant lymphoma is painless swelling of the lymph nodes.

In short, most nodules are harmless. If you find any abnormalities during the physical examination, go to the hospital immediately! !