Chemo for kidney cancer!

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massaf
massaf Member Posts: 5 Member
edited May 2022 in Kidney Cancer #1

Hello all

I was diagnosed with non invasive bladder cancer when I was 31 years and I been doing cystoscopy since then, it does reoccur once a while but this year my Ct scan showed tumor on my right kidney (3cm) and after doing the biopsy it turns out to be high grade cancer and my right kidney needs to removed. I went for second opinion at Mayo clinic and they recommend 3 weeks course of chemo treatment prior to the surgery while my current urologist does not recommend chemo at all. I am very confused beside being stressed out, I am getting two opposite opinions. Has anyone done any chemo prior to kidney nephrectomy?

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  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,042 Member
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    Re the tumor on the kidney. Is it a form of kidney cancer or is it a mets from the bladder? Big difference in treatment. There are newer kidney treatments that do use a form of chemo, primarily to shrink tumors, but I don't think it will kill/eradicate the cancer.

    This may be the time for a third opinion from a medical oncologist.

    I'm 16 years out from my Dx of RCC. After surgery, the oncologist part of the team at a teaching hospital did not recommend any "chemo" because there was no evidence of disease they could monitor.

    My personal thought is that you are planning surgery anyway, why subject yourself to the effects of chemo for 3 weeks.

    Good luck on your choice of treatment and just "breeze thru surgery."

    donna_lee

  • Deanie0916
    Deanie0916 Member Posts: 616 Member
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    All the best to you. I haven't heard of using chemo to treat kidney cancer but there are probably lots of new treatments out there. I pray you have wisdom for the next steps.