looking for info/support

abenavides
abenavides Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Kidney Cancer #1
My wife (age 37) woke up with horrible back pain in early Sep 2003. Upon taking her to the ER, a scan revealed a large tumor (10cm) in her kidney. The doctors acted quickly and within 2 days had removed the kidney.

We were told that the tumor had not spread beyond the kidney capsule (which is good) and that she would need scanning for the next few years.

She had her first scan in Dec and it revealed a small (2cm) lesion on a bone in her spine. We are both (me especially) freaked out. I know RCC can spread to bone, but I haven't found much info on what this means. Just that they would treat the "pain", possibly with radiation.

Any info or support is welcome.

Comments

  • LucyB
    LucyB Member Posts: 2
    #2
    They told my Mom that they got hers out too (it was 10cm)- but then 6 months later it spread to her lungs, liver and muscles. did they save any portion of the tumor? they are doing a lot of vaccine work these days. get to a cancer center that specializes in renal cell. also do as much reading as possible. the steve dunn website is amazing for renal cell. my mom is a stage 4 survivor - she went on a clinical trial for pega lated interferon. she responded really well and now has no evedence of disease. she went to sloane kettering. Point is - do all of your research and get to a very experienced doctor.
  • JoBubba
    JoBubba Member Posts: 8
    #3
    My husband (52)has kidney cancer and it is in the bone. (as well as lungs) Large tumor in hip and on one rib. He has done high-dose IL-2, which can stablize bone desease, but the doc. says it doesn't work as well as it does on other tumors. He has had RF ablation and embolization of the tumor in the hip. Most of the hip socket is destroyed, but he has a great orthopedic oncologist who says it may be able to be reconstructed. Keep researching, praying for guidence, and take one step at a time. If you don't like a doctor, find others...we did that a few times, and are now comfortable with the medical care my husband is under. Also, he has seen a cutting edge nutritionist to keep his body strong through everything...and I think this saved his life after the IL-2 therapy...but enough of that right now. Hope this helps. I know it is awful to have a spouse with cancer...and exhausting as the caregiver. Keep up the good fight, and remember, they are discovering new things every day. Celebrate life and love and laughter. Praise God for the blessings amongst the pain and suffering...they are there, just sometimes hidden more deeply. I will pray for your wife, as I do for all cancer patients I meet.
  • tbell320
    tbell320 Member Posts: 1
    #4
    LucyB said:

    They told my Mom that they got hers out too (it was 10cm)- but then 6 months later it spread to her lungs, liver and muscles. did they save any portion of the tumor? they are doing a lot of vaccine work these days. get to a cancer center that specializes in renal cell. also do as much reading as possible. the steve dunn website is amazing for renal cell. my mom is a stage 4 survivor - she went on a clinical trial for pega lated interferon. she responded really well and now has no evedence of disease. she went to sloane kettering. Point is - do all of your research and get to a very experienced doctor.

    I am a stage 4 as well, so many of these stories sound the same, large tumor in one kidney, removal and subsequent sites. Right now there are no vital organs effected but its just a matter of time if I dont find the right treatment. What is "pega lated interferon"? I am on interferon therapy now and am not familiar with that term. Thanks

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