help understanding.....

lismor

Hello all. I just got a quick result of my ultrasound I had done on monday via advice nurse my PCP is out til tues. She said basicly that yes I have a complicated cyst measuring close to 5cm. Also there are a few smaller cysts that are seen. She told me I have to wait til the dr comes back on tues to see what's the next step. Any thoughts? On my CT report it stated that I have 4 cm hypodense cyst within the left kidney upper pole, with near water attenuation,enhancing septations are seen inferiorly(lower part of cyst) And it was recommended that further evaluation by ultrasound to see what changes occured. thoughts? I know I have to wait til next week for more info but was hopeing someone could give me some info? Good or bad. Thanks! Lisa

rosieroon

Hi Lisa! When I had my initial CT scan at a German hospital they found a 3cm tumor within my right kidney, and a small cyst on my left kidney. The docs at the American hospital did an ultrasound and confirmed that while it wasn't a simple cyst, it was in fact, just a cyst. I've had 2 checkups since then that included ultrasounds and the cyst is still there, unchanged. I'm told close to half of all adults over 40 are thought to have or have had cysts on a kidney at one time or another. Both CT scans and ultrasounds are quite useful in telling the docs if what they're looking at is a cyst or a tumor(something to do with blood flow). While I've read some posts where people have been told that a complicated cyst is likely to turn into a malignancy, I've had 5 urologists (1 German; 2 military; 2 civilian -- one from from Tulane University and the other in private practice where we're now based) assure me that happening is highly, highly unlikely.

Linda

Chicago

Hey Lisa,

Sounds more and more like mine -- just a little bigger. The "enhancing" part sounds like they're concerned the cyst is cancerous. They couldn't tell if mine was until they actually removed it (it was). I'm betting though, that your docs are going to want to remove it (surgery).

The "upper pole" part is a good news/bad news thing in my experience. The good news is that a good surgeon should be able to perform a partial nephrectomy on the kidney and just remove the bad portion of the upper kidney with the mass. In other words, you may be able to keep almost all of that kidney, which is good.

The bad news part is that the partial operation is much worse than if they take out the whole thing. I know that sounds funny, but it's true. The kidney is fairly well contained. All they need to do to remove it is to make a hole just large enough for it to squeeze through, and snip the four tubes into it.

To remove just a small portion of the kidney ,however, they really have to open you up big to see what they're doing and move around. To get at the upper pole of my right kidney, they had to remove one rib, and cut through all of the muscles on that side. My post-op experience was no fun at all. Not complaining though. I still have two fully functioning kidneys.

The smaller cysts that I still have (not enhancing -- they checked) are still being monitored. This situation is something you may have to talk over with your surgeon. Some will be inclined to take the whole thing. Mine decided it was better to keep as much kidney as I could, and pop out the whole thing later if things get worse.

My wife the doc tells me that RCC tumors tend to grow about one centimeter per year. So the six month/yearly scans we all continue to get should be more than enough to catch anything new in time.

You've got friends here. Let us know ...

lismor

Chicago said:

Hey Lisa,

Sounds more and more like mine -- just a little bigger. The "enhancing" part sounds like they're concerned the cyst is cancerous. They couldn't tell if mine was until they actually removed it (it was). I'm betting though, that your docs are going to want to remove it (surgery).

The "upper pole" part is a good news/bad news thing in my experience. The good news is that a good surgeon should be able to perform a partial nephrectomy on the kidney and just remove the bad portion of the upper kidney with the mass. In other words, you may be able to keep almost all of that kidney, which is good.

The bad news part is that the partial operation is much worse than if they take out the whole thing. I know that sounds funny, but it's true. The kidney is fairly well contained. All they need to do to remove it is to make a hole just large enough for it to squeeze through, and snip the four tubes into it.

To remove just a small portion of the kidney ,however, they really have to open you up big to see what they're doing and move around. To get at the upper pole of my right kidney, they had to remove one rib, and cut through all of the muscles on that side. My post-op experience was no fun at all. Not complaining though. I still have two fully functioning kidneys.

The smaller cysts that I still have (not enhancing -- they checked) are still being monitored. This situation is something you may have to talk over with your surgeon. Some will be inclined to take the whole thing. Mine decided it was better to keep as much kidney as I could, and pop out the whole thing later if things get worse.

My wife the doc tells me that RCC tumors tend to grow about one centimeter per year. So the six month/yearly scans we all continue to get should be more than enough to catch anything new in time.

You've got friends here. Let us know ...

Thanks Chicago. Will keep you posted. I am fearing the worst. AS I do have a history of cancer(thyroid) this of course would be unrelated. Hey I've beat it once and can do it again! = ) It's great to know there are great people out there like yourself that are willing to help and share their experience. I should hear from the dr today as to whats next. Thanks again. Will keep you posted, Take care, Lisa

lismor

rosieroon said:

Hi Lisa! When I had my initial CT scan at a German hospital they found a 3cm tumor within my right kidney, and a small cyst on my left kidney. The docs at the American hospital did an ultrasound and confirmed that while it wasn't a simple cyst, it was in fact, just a cyst. I've had 2 checkups since then that included ultrasounds and the cyst is still there, unchanged. I'm told close to half of all adults over 40 are thought to have or have had cysts on a kidney at one time or another. Both CT scans and ultrasounds are quite useful in telling the docs if what they're looking at is a cyst or a tumor(something to do with blood flow). While I've read some posts where people have been told that a complicated cyst is likely to turn into a malignancy, I've had 5 urologists (1 German; 2 military; 2 civilian -- one from from Tulane University and the other in private practice where we're now based) assure me that happening is highly, highly unlikely.

Linda

Yes I have heard this. Most people have a cyst on their kidneys. Here's hopeing that mine is 'just a cyst' I should know something today as to what if any the next step is. Thanks for your reply = ) Take care, Lisa

Chicago

lismor said:

Thanks Chicago. Will keep you posted. I am fearing the worst. AS I do have a history of cancer(thyroid) this of course would be unrelated. Hey I've beat it once and can do it again! = ) It's great to know there are great people out there like yourself that are willing to help and share their experience. I should hear from the dr today as to whats next. Thanks again. Will keep you posted, Take care, Lisa

Even if your mass is "the worst," you will likely find that this type of cancer is much easier to beat than the thyroid was, when caught this early. From what you've said, it sounds like such is the case. Skilled surgery alone at these early stages often results in a complete cure.

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