Back to back surgeries

punster
punster Member Posts: 12
edited April 2018 in Kidney Cancer #1

Hi Folks - I'm a 41 year old male, who recently found out that I have a leaky heart valve (mitral) and needed to undergo mitral valve repair to fix my severe regurgitation. The surgery for that is scheduled for next week (3rd May) and as part of the pre-op workup, a CT of the chest revealed the presence of a 4.8cm tumor on the right kidney. The CT indicates the tumor is contained to the kidney, though in a complicated location (resting on the renal artery / vein). 

My challenge is that both the heart and urologic surgeons concur that the heart valve surgery is more important due to the potential risks of endocarditis. The recommended minimum wait time for the renal surgery is 3 months away (August at the earliest), to give the heart the time to heal back. 

I want this thing out of me as soon as possible and it's going to be a long three months! Should I be worried about growth or metastasizing in this waiting period? 

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    I would like to think that

    ---the 2 surgeons took that into consideration in concuring in their opinions. Generally kidney tumors grow alowly.. In retospect the heart problem may have saved your life by finding the kidney tumor while it was relatively small and a lot more than 3 months before it otherwise be found.

     

     

    icemantoo

  • punster
    punster Member Posts: 12
    #3
    icemantoo said:

    I would like to think that

    ---the 2 surgeons took that into consideration in concuring in their opinions. Generally kidney tumors grow alowly.. In retospect the heart problem may have saved your life by finding the kidney tumor while it was relatively small and a lot more than 3 months before it otherwise be found.

     

     

    icemantoo

    Yes, in the few days I'm

    Yes, in the few days I'm absorbing this information, I am also counting my blessings that this heart issue lead to the discovery of the kidney cancer. 

    Not sure if there are studies / experiences out there which show normal rates of growth? I've heard the average tumor grows at 3-5mm/year, but have read some stories which say otherwise. Not sure if they're the norm or is 3-5mm/year the normal number. 

  • Wehavenotimeatall
    Wehavenotimeatall Member Posts: 488 Member
    #4
    Punster

    yes most stats say 5mm to 1 cm per year

    In your case the cancer will have to come second but I agree .. yesterday is too soon in my opinion..the faster it is out the better

    Boy you have a handle full of worry

    In the Uk many people wait three months as  you have to join the queue  so don’t get too focused on the wait

    its a shame they can’t do both at once... was that ever a option

    Annie

  • stub1969
    stub1969 Member Posts: 966 Member
    #5
    I know....

    the dilemma you face--well kind of.  My kidney cancer was found while monitoring kidney stones.  In the pre-op scans a little blip showed in my neck (thyroid) that could be a new cancer or metastic activity.  Doctors decided the priority was taking care of the kidney mass then dealing with the thyroid.  So, I had surgery on a Friday, discharged on Saturday, then a drive back to the hospital on Monday for a biopsy.  Thankfully it was not metastic activity but another primary cancer that required a full thyroidectomy.  That surgery took place almost exactly a month after my partial nephrectomy.  I still have a hard time believing I had two primary cancers growing in my body that I was totoally unaware of.  

    I know your situation is a little different, but both do require surgery.  Trust your doctors.  They do have your best interest at "heart" (no pun intended).

    Good luck!

    Stub

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    #6

    Renal tumors grow very slowly, don't worry for three months wait. 

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #7
    They will

    manage your heart issue first. Follow up scans might suggest removal of tumor later. They may suggest a tki to stabilize or shrink the tumor until your cardiac status is ready for another procedure

  • punster
    punster Member Posts: 12
    #8
    icemantoo said:

    I would like to think that

    ---the 2 surgeons took that into consideration in concuring in their opinions. Generally kidney tumors grow alowly.. In retospect the heart problem may have saved your life by finding the kidney tumor while it was relatively small and a lot more than 3 months before it otherwise be found.

     

     

    icemantoo

    Yes, I definitely count my

    Yes, I definitely count my blessings because I would've never found this tumor if it hadn't been for the heart trouble :) As my wife said yesterday - we should say "Why me" for all the good things, not just the bad things in our lives!

  • punster
    punster Member Posts: 12
    #9
    foxhd said:

    They will

    manage your heart issue first. Follow up scans might suggest removal of tumor later. They may suggest a tki to stabilize or shrink the tumor until your cardiac status is ready for another procedure

    Thanks Fox! My other concern

    Thanks Fox! My other concern re: this is that I've only seen the urologic surgeons for this and not an oncologist. Should I be trying to validate the opinions of the surgeons against that of an oncologist who might recommend managing the tumor in the waiting period? Or am I needlessly worry about this 3 month wait?

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #10
    By all means

    see an oncologist. That is who would order the drugs to stabilize the tumor. The cardiologist and oncologist need to consult.

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,062 Member
    #11
    I'm with others on surgeries'

    I'm with others on surgeries' priority - heart first, then kidney. 3 month wait for kidney cancer of that size  is not life threatening.

     

    Good luck with both surgeries!

    Alla

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