Feeling lost

Scottcho87

Hello everyone, I just recently had an ultrasound to find out if I had a cyst or solid tumor on my kidney. I meet with another doctor tomorrow. but the lady from my doctors office said they were highly suspicious off renal cell carcinom. can they tell that much by an ultrasound ? Is there hope it could be non cancerous? the internet says so much conflicting things. I lost my mom to lung cancer last year and I'm looking for anything to help me understand what I should expect and trying to keep it all together. Im terrified and not sure how to handle such a bomb being dropped. Im not sure what to think or do. I'm just really freaking out inside. 

Allochka

Hello,

Hello,

Sorry about your mom and that you are in this unclear and scarry situation. 

Yes, ultrasound can say a lot, at least it can raise suspicion about kidney cancer. But only CT (preferably with contrast) will be able to tell you better. 

I don't want to scare you, but if the lesion they've found is solid (not fluid filled, like cyst), then the probability is that is carcinoma. I guess you will have CT scheduled asap now.

That being sad I'd like to stress that renal carcinoma is far from being a death sentence nowadays. Most relatively small cancers are treated with curative surgery with excellent prognosis (and for kidney cancer even 4 cm is still considered small! Everything up to 7 cm usually is still Stage 1!)

Also onlu pathology after surgery can tell 100% what it is, and we've seen cases of benign lesions here as well.

So please try not to panic ( I know it is hard), schedule CT scan with contrast asap, read this forum to know what questions to ask the doc.

If it is cancer -  it is not death sentence! 7 years ago I was here crying, because my husband had suspicion of RCC. Now, 7 years later he is here and healthy (another follow up coming on Friday). 

How big was your lesion on ultrasound?

 

Hugs and keep us posted.

Alla

 

 

 

tgpath1

Hearing that is terrifying

Hearing that is terrifying and life altering.  I also lost my mom to lung cancer 3 years before I was diagnosed with RCC.  Mine was a large mass and deemed stage 3 but they could not tell that until after they removed the kidney and did pathology.  Going into it, they said with a solid mass in the kidney, there is only a 5% chance of it being non cancerous...however, surgical removal will likely be the only treatment needed.  My oncologist told me that there is no correlation between my moms cancer and mine.  And they also told me that I would live to see my grandchildren (my kids are 10 and 12 years old).   I am six months post removal and scans have all been good so far and I feel great...literally no different than I did pre surgery.  I know it's scary and devastating to think about....it takes a while to adjust to that feeling and to deal with the anxiety (I'm still dealing with it).  But rest assured that many of us have been through it and came out the other side!  Whatever you do, do NOT google anything!!  The information is very scary but also outdated.  Particularly for kidney cancer, they have come sooo far in recent years!  Best of luck and use this forum to ask as many questions as you have...you'll find it a great source of information and support!

eug91

welcome Scott-

Sorry you had to join us, but this is a great forum here. We know what you're going through because we've been through it, so we know you're going to do great. We're here for you if you have any questions or just need to vent. 

Everything said above is true. There's no easy way to hear the "c" word - it's terrifying and numbing and you don't know what to feel or how to react. The freaking out is natural and totally normal. 

My advice - bring either a notepad or take notes on your cell phone. Write any questions for your doctor down so you can get answers. Write down the answers. The information will sometimes come fast and furious and your head will be swimming - write it down so you can reference it later for follow-up questions. 

Also, don't trust Doctor Google. Advances in treatment are happening every year, so the information out there online about Kidney Cancer is out of date. Resist the urge to find doom/gloom online. Talk to your doctor, and/or ask us. 

What you're going through is scary, but all of us here went through it. We did great and you will, too. We're here for you - you've got this!