Newbie question

FrancisBuxton

Hi, I just discovered this board and it seems like you have a supportive and knowlegable group here.

A 2cm mass was discovered on my right kidney incidentally during a CT of my abdomen for appendicitis in December of 2012. I had another ct with and without contrast in January to get a better idea of what this mass was.

The radiology report remarked that the contrast hadn't been taken up by the mass and there was no cause for concern. On the other hand(and here's my quandry), the urologist who ordered the scan disagrees and doesn't like the looks of it. He told me that he had just removed masses on two other patients with similar radiology reports that returned as RCC. He says he would rate mine a 3 on the Bosniak scale. Given my age, I'm 45 and otherwise healthy, he thinks a partial nephrectomy is in order.

I don't think anyone likes the thought of doing nothing about what could potentially be cancer, but even laparoscopically, it still is a pretty big deal.

I am going to have a second opinion.

On the upside, the mass is tiny(compared to some of the stories I have read here) and in the lower lateral portion of the kidney.

Has anyone had an experience like this?

Any thoughts or advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

Frank

Texas_wedge

Way forward

It's probably correct to say that innumerable people have had your experience, but, of course, that in itself doesn't help! 

It should be of comfort to know that some patients with RCC tumours more than 1,000 times the size of yours (in volume)  have come out fine, including at least one earlier member here more than ten years younger than you.

Aside from what your urologist has said, one could assume that there's nothing to be at all concerned about and even 'watch and wait' probably isn't called for.  But he must have good reason, one supposes, for giving a Bosniak 3 rating, which strikes me as surprising.  [I got a Bosniak 4 myself, but I was nearly 70 with a 9cm tumour that came out as stage 4 and grade 4.] 

Has he told you the grounds for being concerned, in face of the radiologist's analysis, and what makes him say B. 3?  Were the other two patients he mentioned seen by the same radiologist? 

It's certainly a sound idea to get a second opinion.  For me, the real question is whether you need that second opinion from a second radiologist looking at your slides, or a second urologist.  Depending on what gets said, you might even want both!

MedScanMan

Texas_wedge said:

Way forward

It's probably correct to say that innumerable people have had your experience, but, of course, that in itself doesn't help! 

It should be of comfort to know that some patients with RCC tumours more than 1,000 times the size of yours (in volume)  have come out fine, including at least one earlier member here more than ten years younger than you.

Aside from what your urologist has said, one could assume that there's nothing to be at all concerned about and even 'watch and wait' probably isn't called for.  But he must have good reason, one supposes, for giving a Bosniak 3 rating, which strikes me as surprising.  [I got a Bosniak 4 myself, but I was nearly 70 with a 9cm tumour that came out as stage 4 and grade 4.] 

Has he told you the grounds for being concerned, in face of the radiologist's analysis, and what makes him say B. 3?  Were the other two patients he mentioned seen by the same radiologist? 

It's certainly a sound idea to get a second opinion.  For me, the real question is whether you need that second opinion from a second radiologist looking at your slides, or a second urologist.  Depending on what gets said, you might even want both!

Everything Tex Said

Is there a chance that you could type word for word the impression at the bottom of your CT report?  I'd love to see how the Radiologist worded his findings. 

Jeff

icemantoo

MedScanMan said:

Everything Tex Said

Is there a chance that you could type word for word the impression at the bottom of your CT report?  I'd love to see how the Radiologist worded his findings. 

Jeff

TO WAIT OR NOT TO WAIT

Frank,

 

Sounds to me like it is RCC or will become RCC. Of course I am not a Doctor and thats what Doctors are for. Once you ge t the second opinion and if surgery is suggested get it behind you. All of us on this board have had the surgery. Not fun, but it beats the alternative RCC is real serious stuff when those tumors get bigger, On the other hand most of us with tumors 4cm and smaller, the surgery is the cure (with follow up testing of course).

 

 

Icemantoo