Having multiple lung nodules means you have two or more lesions in your lungs.
Multiple lung nodules are also called pulmonary nodules.
These lesions can be seen on an imaging scan like an X-ray.
Illustration by Jessica Olah, Verywell
You may not have any symptoms of multiple lung nodules.
If you only have one lung nodule (solitary pulmonary nodule), it probably is not cancer.
However, if you have several or many lung nodules, the risk of cancer increases.
This article will go over what causes multiple lung nodules and how they can be diagnosed.
You will also learn how multiple lung nodules are treated.
What Are Multiple Lung Nodules?
Having multiple lung nodules simply means you have more than one nodule in your lungs.
Although multiple lung nodules can be cancerous, they are more likely to be benign than malignant.
Non-cancerous lung nodules can form after there has been inflammation of some kind in the lung.
These nodules start as a small clump of cells called a granuloma.
Over time, the granuloma can harden or “calcify,” forming a lung nodule.
A cancerous lung nodule forms when cells develop changes or mutations.
The changes cause the cells to begin multiplying abnormally, forming a tumor.
Causes
Multiple lung nodules can be because of benign or malignant diseases.
Here are some of the most common causes of lung nodules.
Cancerous Lung Nodules
Diagnosis
Most lung nodules do not cause any symptoms.
Multiple lung nodules look like spots or lesions on an X-ray.
Cancer is a concern whenever there are multiple lung nodules seen on a scan.
The way that the nodules look on a scan can give providers hints about which punch in they are.
Providers will usually start by looking for theprimary (original) tumor.
Treatment
The treatment for multiple lung nodules depends on the cause.
Benign nodules can often be left alone.
Nodules related to an infection can be treated with the appropriateantibiotic, antifungal, or antiparasitic drugs.
If metastatic cancer is diagnosed, treatment is based on where the tumor is.
Cancer’s spread is also a factor when deciding on treatment.
Keep in mind that multiple lung nodules are not always cancer and may not even require treatment.
If your lung nodules are cancerous, there are usually treatments.
They may not be curative, but they can reduce symptoms and help you live longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 40% of lung nodules turn out to be cancer.
Researchers studying people with COVID-19 have seen cases where people with the infection have lung nodules.
Some people just have nodule while others may have several.
2019;14(4):226-38. doi:10.4103/atm.ATM_110_19
Reed JC,Multiple modules and masses.
In: Chest Radiology (Seventh Edition).
Sato, Y.; Fujimoto, D.; Morimoto, T.; et al.
2019;46(1).
doi:10.5798/dicletip.534820
Lau CY, Mihalek AD, Wang J, et al.Pulmonary manifestations of the autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome.
A retrospective study of a unique patient cohort.Ann Am Thorac Soc.
2019;7(15):348. doi:10.21037/atm.2019.03.59
Murphy A, Gaillar F.Coal workers' pneumoconiosis.
Springer, Cham; 2018:127-45.
Zhou Z, Zhan P, Jin J, et al.The imaging of small pulmonary nodules.Transl Lung Cancer Res.
2021;58(4).
doi:10.1016/j.arbres.2021.06.020
Arslan, Unal.One of the many faces of COVID-19 infection: an irregularly shaped pulmonary nodule.Insights into Imaging.
2021;12(1):1-2. doi:10.1186/s13244-021-00987-7
