Rcc cancer now spread to brain lung and liver

StrFr
StrFr Member Posts: 6
in Kidney Cancer #1
My father was diagnosed in nov 2010 with kidney cancer... He had a full kidney removed and 1/3 of his other kidney.... One year later we where told he was cancer free.... Only to find out 4 months later that it had spread to his brain, lungs, liver and kidney linning on the side where there is no more kidney!!!! He underwent brain surgery and they say they think they removed everything... But because of his remaining kidney they cannot use contrast during an MRI... Because of that they want to do a full brain radiAtion instead of just local.... From what the dr said and what ive read about it the side effects are very bad!!! The drs want us to make a decision, full radiation or local?! That is such a hard decision to make....

I am so scared and worried!

Comments

  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #2
    Brain radiation
    Your anxiety is understandable and it's a tough call.

    I hope our MedScanMan here will come to your aid with good advice.

    The question is so important, please also go to KIDNEY-ONC and seek the opinions of, in particular, the medical physicist Susan Poteat and the extremely well-informed listowner Robin Martinez. There are others there too who can give you very authoritative guidance. To help you find them, please refer to the thread here "ACOR - how to join..." which is at

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/247312

    If you have any problems getting there please let us know and we'll help further. Good luck to you and your Father.
  • MedScanMan
    MedScanMan Member Posts: 107
    #3
    Contrast
    I can understand why they would not want to inject contrast in a patient with one kidney, unless his creatinine is still under 1.5. I believe a decent radiologist would be able to spot any remaining mets in the brain with an MRI without contrast. Ask your doctor to check with radiology. So sorry you and your dad are going through this now. Good luck
    Jeff
  • StrFr
    StrFr Member Posts: 6
    #4
    Texas_wedge said:

    Brain radiation
    Your anxiety is understandable and it's a tough call.

    I hope our MedScanMan here will come to your aid with good advice.

    The question is so important, please also go to KIDNEY-ONC and seek the opinions of, in particular, the medical physicist Susan Poteat and the extremely well-informed listowner Robin Martinez. There are others there too who can give you very authoritative guidance. To help you find them, please refer to the thread here "ACOR - how to join..." which is at

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/247312

    If you have any problems getting there please let us know and we'll help further. Good luck to you and your Father.

    Thank you for your help.
    Thank you for your help. I'm trying to join the ACOR, but for some weird reason I'm not receiving any e-mail back.
  • StrFr
    StrFr Member Posts: 6
    #5
    MedScanMan said:

    Contrast
    I can understand why they would not want to inject contrast in a patient with one kidney, unless his creatinine is still under 1.5. I believe a decent radiologist would be able to spot any remaining mets in the brain with an MRI without contrast. Ask your doctor to check with radiology. So sorry you and your dad are going through this now. Good luck
    Jeff

    The dr said that from what
    The dr said that from what they could see without the contrast they don't think theres anything left, but they can't be sure, they may be small ones that without the contrast it can't be picked up
  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #6
    StrFr said:

    Thank you for your help.
    Thank you for your help. I'm trying to join the ACOR, but for some weird reason I'm not receiving any e-mail back.

    ACOR
    Have you managed to join? when you have, make a posting to introduce yourself and await feedback - should be plenty soon.
  • StrFr
    StrFr Member Posts: 6
    #7
    Texas_wedge said:

    ACOR
    Have you managed to join? when you have, make a posting to introduce yourself and await feedback - should be plenty soon.

    Not yet, I'm still waiting
    Not yet, I'm still waiting for my e-mail confirmation
  • StrFr
    StrFr Member Posts: 6
    #8
    StrFr said:

    Not yet, I'm still waiting
    Not yet, I'm still waiting for my e-mail confirmation

    I finally got my e-mail
    I finally got my e-mail thank you for your help
  • StrFr
    StrFr Member Posts: 6
    #9
    StrFr said:

    I finally got my e-mail
    I finally got my e-mail thank you for your help

    Acor
    I got in, but I can't seem to be able to send any messages... I must be doing something wrong....
  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #10
    StrFr said:

    Acor
    I got in, but I can't seem to be able to send any messages... I must be doing something wrong....

    Acor
    Given the importance of your question, how about my posting it for you while you get up to speed on the site?
  • angec
    angec Member Posts: 924 Member
    #11
    Other treatment?
    So sorry to hear about your dad. We are all praying for you. These boards are full with excellent, helpful information. TW has sent you to the right place. Are the doctors offering any other kind of help in the way of medicine for the growths? Student or anything or has he been on them all along? I have seen other posts on these boards where the mets were helped with various medications that they have approved recently. Hopefully he is seeking advice from a major cancer facility. Wishing you all the best.

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