Help Please!

jengen12
jengen12 Member Posts: 18
in Kidney Cancer #1
My dad had kidney surgery and had the left tumor and kidney removed....They did a cat scan and found some tumors or they said they think it good be inflammation because my dad had so much fluid build up in his chest. ITS ALL GONE NOW. They did a test of the fluid and it came back negative so idk. He has a small kidney tumor on his right kidney. Everything else was clear...all other organs were clear....
Is this good news?
Should we call hospice and forget chemo?

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Talk to the doctor
    While us survivors do everything we can to help others we are in no position to address questions that should be posed to your father's doctors. That said our prayers are with your father and his family.
  • jengen12
    jengen12 Member Posts: 18
    #3
    icemantoo said:

    Talk to the doctor
    While us survivors do everything we can to help others we are in no position to address questions that should be posed to your father's doctors. That said our prayers are with your father and his family.

    I understand
    Someone on one of the sites told me all this stuff his toxic. Thank you......
  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    #4
    jengen12 said:

    I understand
    Someone on one of the sites told me all this stuff his toxic. Thank you......

    Questions??

    A kidney tumor on the kidney? Has he been told it is cancer? Or is it a benign tumor?
    Has he had a PET scan, which will help clarify better if there is a cancerous tumor?

    When "my" cancer was found, it had already metasticized to the liver and to nodes in the abdomen, with all of it surgically removed. Docs felt they got it all, but over the following 2 years, separate malignant nodes grew in the abdomen. They, too were removed surgically. For now, I'm going on 3 years with no evidence of disease.

    Even if the tumor is a mets, surgeons can do a partial nephrectomy. (I have an acquaintance who had partials on both sides.)

    As a trained patient volunteer with our local hospice, it doesn't sound like your dad is qualified to enter a hospice program. Just my opinion!

    Yes, there are drugs that work on cancer. It is more of an adjuvant type therapy, since traditionally, chemo works to kill the cancer cells. Some of the kidney cancer drugs boost the immune system, some interfere with the blood supply to the tumor, and others inhibit the cell growth in the tumor. Each one of them has slightly different side effects that are not pleasant. Immunotherapy with either Interleukin or Interferon must be administered in daily IV's in a hospital setting, as the heart has to be monitored constantly. A member of our cancer support group had IL2, but had to stop after the 3rd set of doses because it nearly killed her. But it did make one of the mets tumors in her lung go away and stabilized several others in her lungs, with no size increase for over 2 years.

    As long as surgery is a viable option or there is a drug that can be used, don't give up and don't let your dad give up.

    There are a number of references to look for on line. Kidney Cancer Association has some concise info. Do a search for "Cure" magazine. A year ago they ran a good article on kidney cancer and the advances made in treatments. Paper copies of the magazine are usually available free in the oncologists office, and the subscriptions are free.

    To respond the the person just prior to me...yes, anything they do other than surgery is toxic. But sometimes the desire to live far outweighs being treated with something toxic or with possible long term side effects. So far, no one has discovered the secret to living forever, so my attitude is to be here as long as possible.

    Good luck in your search for answers and best wishes to your dad.
    donna_lee
  • jengen12
    jengen12 Member Posts: 18
    #5
    donna_lee said:

    Questions??

    A kidney tumor on the kidney? Has he been told it is cancer? Or is it a benign tumor?
    Has he had a PET scan, which will help clarify better if there is a cancerous tumor?

    When "my" cancer was found, it had already metasticized to the liver and to nodes in the abdomen, with all of it surgically removed. Docs felt they got it all, but over the following 2 years, separate malignant nodes grew in the abdomen. They, too were removed surgically. For now, I'm going on 3 years with no evidence of disease.

    Even if the tumor is a mets, surgeons can do a partial nephrectomy. (I have an acquaintance who had partials on both sides.)

    As a trained patient volunteer with our local hospice, it doesn't sound like your dad is qualified to enter a hospice program. Just my opinion!

    Yes, there are drugs that work on cancer. It is more of an adjuvant type therapy, since traditionally, chemo works to kill the cancer cells. Some of the kidney cancer drugs boost the immune system, some interfere with the blood supply to the tumor, and others inhibit the cell growth in the tumor. Each one of them has slightly different side effects that are not pleasant. Immunotherapy with either Interleukin or Interferon must be administered in daily IV's in a hospital setting, as the heart has to be monitored constantly. A member of our cancer support group had IL2, but had to stop after the 3rd set of doses because it nearly killed her. But it did make one of the mets tumors in her lung go away and stabilized several others in her lungs, with no size increase for over 2 years.

    As long as surgery is a viable option or there is a drug that can be used, don't give up and don't let your dad give up.

    There are a number of references to look for on line. Kidney Cancer Association has some concise info. Do a search for "Cure" magazine. A year ago they ran a good article on kidney cancer and the advances made in treatments. Paper copies of the magazine are usually available free in the oncologists office, and the subscriptions are free.

    To respond the the person just prior to me...yes, anything they do other than surgery is toxic. But sometimes the desire to live far outweighs being treated with something toxic or with possible long term side effects. So far, no one has discovered the secret to living forever, so my attitude is to be here as long as possible.

    Good luck in your search for answers and best wishes to your dad.
    donna_lee

    Thank you
    The kidney test for clear cell carcinoma in the left kidney that was removed..it was two tumors consuming the kidney so it needed to come out. My dad has small tumors on the top of the right kidney. It is not in the kidney but laying on top of it. My dad chest has what they think could be cancer but they did another chest scan of the chest cavity but they still say it could just be inflamed. My dad had over a couple pints of fluid because the kidney that was infected was pushing upwards and causing the build up in his chest. They thought they saw cancer on the diaphragm of the lung but it came back negative and they also tested the fluid in his chest and no cancer cells have been found at all. The slight growth was noticed on the right kidney since surgery but he has not started chemo or any other type of treatment. Should we try to shrink it or have it just removed because its not actually in the kidney. Opinions would be great.....I really appreciated it thanks. : ) All his scan still came clear for all other organs and lymphnodes for cancer again in the last mri
  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    #6
    jengen12 said:

    Thank you
    The kidney test for clear cell carcinoma in the left kidney that was removed..it was two tumors consuming the kidney so it needed to come out. My dad has small tumors on the top of the right kidney. It is not in the kidney but laying on top of it. My dad chest has what they think could be cancer but they did another chest scan of the chest cavity but they still say it could just be inflamed. My dad had over a couple pints of fluid because the kidney that was infected was pushing upwards and causing the build up in his chest. They thought they saw cancer on the diaphragm of the lung but it came back negative and they also tested the fluid in his chest and no cancer cells have been found at all. The slight growth was noticed on the right kidney since surgery but he has not started chemo or any other type of treatment. Should we try to shrink it or have it just removed because its not actually in the kidney. Opinions would be great.....I really appreciated it thanks. : ) All his scan still came clear for all other organs and lymphnodes for cancer again in the last mri

    questions again
    I'm sure no authority, and much will have to be determined by your dad's current age and state of health and what the Dr. suggests.
    Me? I'd have surgery if whatever it is can be removed without creating further problems. So far, I've had 3 cancer surgeries and the docs have removed a variety of organs or parts that I can live without.
    The drug treatments that are available will not kill kidney cancer cells. They shrink tumors, boost your immune system, or interfere with it's blood supply. But they also have some pretty mean side effects.
    Do your research. Don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion. And good luck.
    donna_lee
  • MandyBear
    MandyBear Member Posts: 14
    #7
    treatment
    I agree with another poster- the Kidney Cancer Association has tons of info on treatment for kidney cancers. Also, if you don't like your doctors, find another. You need some good medical advice.

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