Possible RCC with upcoming surgery

Donna, welcome here - yes it is a very good support facility.

You're a good story teller and have introduced an element of mystery too.  Do you care to say what you fear the lesion may be and why you connect it with your biological Father?  For most people the idea that it is cancer is scary enough and they wouldn't imagine anything else could be scarier!

Why are you so convinced that you don't have RCC?  It's frequently asymptomatic, as you doubtless know.

If it continues to grow it will be a major inconvenience at some stage, even if it's benign, so having it removed makes good sense and then you'll know for sure what it is.   With luck, it's benign and you can forget all about us here (though you may want to consult a bit about recovery from major abdominal surgery) and get on with your carrer and your studies.

pinkstar said:

Thank you Texas!!! I think my

Thank you Texas!!! I think my back ground forces me to tell it all. hahaha...I am honest & I have nothing to hide. Although, this is probably what makes me a good nurse. I fear the lesion may be RCC, which if it is I would be considered stage 1b (if my memory serves me correctly). I am connecting this experience with my biological father as we were nearly the same age at the time of surgery (he had his done in his early 30's & I found this in my late 30's). Health wise, I tend to take more after him than my mother (THANK GOD). I have always said, he may not have been the father he should have been but he definitely could be what saves my life.

With all the physical research I have done on RCC, I don't believe I have it. Could be denial but I call it surviving.

I totally agree with you 100%!!! Regardless of it's nature, it needs to be removed. This whole thing is just weird & somewhat of may be a medical mystery but I am grateful for this site. If this experience makes me a better woman, daughter, sister, friend & nurse then I am indeed the winner. No matter what the mass is I will remain on this site, if just to offer support.

Donna,

While a number of persons have come on this site with doubt whether the little buggar was RCC or not, it turns out that it usually is although I do remember the exception. With some types of tumors they are or will become RCC. RCC sucks. If it gets bigger and spreads you face serious consequences. If it is taken out while it is small the surgery is usually a total cure. All of us on this board have had the surgery. Not fun, but it beats the alternative.

What a way to get extra insight as part of your RN training.

Icemantoo

pinkstar said:

Thank you!

Sorry for the duplicate post. I don't know how to delete just yet.  =0)

Hi Donna well i guess everyone procrastinated and that tumor is not getting any smaller,SO GET IT OUT!!!,with that said you should be fine,oh almost forgot WELCOME to this fine discssion board

pinkstar said:

Welcome Donna

Hi,

Thank you! I agree. LOL...I am ok with the surgery aspect & my Urologist expects to keep me out of work for 2 weeks. I was like that's it? haha...He said that was all he expected me to need, as I am healthy other than for the mass. So we shall see.

Hi Donna,

Sorry you've had to come here. I was in a similar situation to you in early December. The mass in my kidney was 6.8 cm and in the center of my right kidney. They removed my right kidney December 10th. Being asymptomatic is not unusual. If the tumor is a long way from the collection area of the kidney, you might not even have bleeding. From what I've read, these tumors are near 90% clear cell RCC. They are benign in something around 5%. That's probably why your urologist is pretty sure that's what it is. If it's not a cyst, and it's not a benign tumor that is able to be seen on the CT, then it's probably RCC and probably clear cell. However, they aren't going to know what it is until they get it out and send it to a pathologist for a report. Hopefully it will be some kind of benign thing.

Mine turned out to be clear cell RCC, stage 3, grade 3. I was hoping for stage 1, but my tumor had grown into the veins so that bumpted the stage from 1 to 3, which I didn't find out until the pathology report came in.

Are you seeing urologic oncologist? Or a general urologist? I'm assuming he's a urologic oncologist if he's doing the surgery via laparascopy.

Personally I think the 2 weeks back to work is a ridiculous idea after a radical nephrectomy, especially if you need to move around a lot on your job. I took 6 weeks off and was glad I did. I probably could have gone back to work after 4, but I was glad to have time to focus on getting better. I was also glad to get back to work.

Hope you'll stick around and keep us updated on how you are doing.

If you are interested in boning up on kidney type issues in general, my surgeon has a great website going over all the issues in a very condensed manner. Check it out. It's very up-to-date, very informative, and also very condensed, http://www.kidneycancerinstitute.com/

Best wishes to you,

Todd

dhs1963 said:

I probably is RCC

You could get it biopsied, but statstically, it is 90% likely it is RCC.  My tumor, 6x5x5, was both acressive (grade for because Sarcomotoid) and symptom free.  Unfortunately mine metastisized to my lung; the met may have been before or after the surgery. 

RCC is usually symptom free in stage 1.  The real danger of RCC is that by the time there are symptoms, the cancer is much more advanced with a much worse prognosis.  With a stage 1B tumor, odds are you will be cured from surgery.

Keep in mind that RCC is usually very slow growing... so in 6 months time a "normaL' scan (no contrast) may or may not be able to measure the growth.. but.. as you now know, it IS growing..  I must tell you, for me, the surgery was pretty easy overall... the fear was far worse than the reality...  I had pain for a few days that was controlled by the drugs, and it lessened a lot faster than I had imagined... down to Tylenol in about 2 weeks.. then nothing... Hang in there..

Ron

pinkstar said:

Thank you dhs

I know I am lucky for many reasons and I am sorry your's has metastisized. I have nothing anywhere else & I don't plan on it. No matter what, we have to remain hopeful & positive. Especially when it gets tough! According to the MRI's & CT scans that I've had, there is no vein or other involvement.

Sometimes I keep the simplistic approach. When I figure that it doesn't matter exactly what the specifics are of the tumor are, I also figure there is nothing I can do about it. So, I begin the post op planning.Find time for a little more exercise and endurance training. I have a theory (sp?) that goes like this.....Most strength and conditioning training is about building muscle and cardio vascular endurance. That is why so many people give up on exercise after missing a few sessions. After a short break, what was gained is quickly lost. So many people say screw it. I believe that what should be concentrated on during workouts is the technique and skill associated with the activities. Sort of like learning to play the guitar or something similar. Then even after short breaks, as you return to the activity, the skill may be rusty, but intact. With a bit of practice, you can return to form in a relatively short period of time. So whether it be yoga, jogging, or  weight training begin your preparation for your recovery now. Your body will have  it's memory of how it should be. This shortens the process considerably....just a thought....or a rambling. ..or the percocet talking.