Can symptoms for pneumonia be mistaken as lung cancer for a 54 yr old breast cancer survivor. my mother has had what doctors first said was pneumonia?

Follow closely.: The symptoms of pneumonia are typically acute, while the symptoms of cancer usually evolve over a longer time. However, the findings on chest X-Ray could be similar. The "pneumonia" should be followed by repeat chest X-Ray to make sure it resolves with treatment. If any question exists, CT scanning or bronchoscopy should be considered.