Questions for oncologist renal clear cell cancer 2.4 cm Fuhrman 2

Rene1234
Rene1234 Member Posts: 4
in Kidney Cancer #1

I had a partial nephrectomy for renal clear cell carcinoma, 2.4cm fuhrmann grade 2, 2/15/11. I am seeing oncologist Monday and am developing a list of questions for the appointment. I had uterine cancer surgery 10 weeks prior to kidney surgery. My health is compromised by chronic fatique and stress.

My brother just died from liver cancer and my other brother is stage 4 colon cancer (9 years on chemo) and I am the 7th of my birth family of 7 to have cancer. I want to be a strong advocate for myself and am fearful about kidney cancer prognosis. I have other stressors in my life and working on ways to find balance, eat healthy etc.

I missed a scan August 2012 because the person who was supposed to set it up left UCSF.

I am trying to develop a list of questions for the Dr. ie; frequency of scans, other tests, etc???? I am curious about the UISS

Any suggestions?

Comments

  • GeorjeanParrish
    GeorjeanParrish Member Posts: 26
    #2
    Have you also been checked for CKD(Chronic Kidney Disease)

    Might want to add a Nephrologist to your to do list and get checked for CKD which can causes chronic fatigue. Has anyone been tracking your eGFR or monitoring your kidney functon?

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    #3
    GeorjeanParrish said:

    Have you also been checked for CKD(Chronic Kidney Disease)

    Might want to add a Nephrologist to your to do list and get checked for CKD which can causes chronic fatigue. Has anyone been tracking your eGFR or monitoring your kidney functon?

    scans or more

    Are your CT scans confined to the pelvis or are they going to start at the thyroid-to groin?  Listed on your orders as a chest/abdomen/pelvis.

    Have you already had a bone scan?  If they find a recurrence, will they biopsy; or if in a difficult location, a PET scan to confirm?  Was there mets outside the kidney?

    And yes, Chronic Kidney Disease will be in there, too.  With only one kidney, your test results for Creatanine and eGFR (they teeter-totter/if one goes up, the other goes down) will be at least half of what a 2-kidney human will have.  And the older you are, the more likely that your results will be less than half of normal.  But as long as a primary care doc has your blood pressure under control, your blood glucose is OK, and your other labs aren't crazy-abnormal, you will not need to be under the care of a nephrologist.

    And here's where I diverge...My Cancer Support Group has a new member (oh, darn).  She had recently driven a neighbor to a hospital facility 2 1/2 hours away, during a time when the valley was having freezing fog.  She said that on the return trip, she could only see about 6 of the center line stripes ahead of her, but when she got there, another 5 or 6 were revealed.  She likened it to what she was confronted with now (her daughter being diqgnosed with breast cancer).  She was not allowed to see the end of the road, just small steps as she drove along; then it would clear and she could go further.   And that is the journey that we are all on.  It's just that you are starting at the beginning again.

    So start your new journey with open eyes, take short steps as you move forward, and don't let minor trips in the road get you down.

    Good Luck,  Donna

     

  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #4
    donna_lee said:

    scans or more

    Are your CT scans confined to the pelvis or are they going to start at the thyroid-to groin?  Listed on your orders as a chest/abdomen/pelvis.

    Have you already had a bone scan?  If they find a recurrence, will they biopsy; or if in a difficult location, a PET scan to confirm?  Was there mets outside the kidney?

    And yes, Chronic Kidney Disease will be in there, too.  With only one kidney, your test results for Creatanine and eGFR (they teeter-totter/if one goes up, the other goes down) will be at least half of what a 2-kidney human will have.  And the older you are, the more likely that your results will be less than half of normal.  But as long as a primary care doc has your blood pressure under control, your blood glucose is OK, and your other labs aren't crazy-abnormal, you will not need to be under the care of a nephrologist.

    And here's where I diverge...My Cancer Support Group has a new member (oh, darn).  She had recently driven a neighbor to a hospital facility 2 1/2 hours away, during a time when the valley was having freezing fog.  She said that on the return trip, she could only see about 6 of the center line stripes ahead of her, but when she got there, another 5 or 6 were revealed.  She likened it to what she was confronted with now (her daughter being diqgnosed with breast cancer).  She was not allowed to see the end of the road, just small steps as she drove along; then it would clear and she could go further.   And that is the journey that we are all on.  It's just that you are starting at the beginning again.

    So start your new journey with open eyes, take short steps as you move forward, and don't let minor trips in the road get you down.

    Good Luck,  Donna

     

    Our journey

    Have you ever written professionally Donna and if not why not?  Great read as ever and the freezing fog metaphor is memorable.

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