Renal Mass at 23!?

ajens2528
ajens2528 Member Posts: 11
edited April 2013 in Kidney Cancer #1

Hello everyone! This place is so friendly and welcoming and I've enjoyed reading your posts, so I decided to join. But mostly because I would like the next young person like myself to have as much information available to them as possible.

At the end of January, I saw a chiropractor who took an Xray and found a calcification in my abdomen. 2+ months later and many tests, turns out I have a 2.6 X 3 cm renal mass (partially calcified). They say it is completely inside the kidney, but in the fatty part. It only looks like it is slightly close to the renal pelvis, but will not know until they go in. I have no pain and am very healthy.

I am seeing a urologist at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. I have done more research these past 2 months than my total college career, and I am confident in my doctor's choice. We have decided to do a robotic partial nephrectomy. I have not gone for a second opinion. I want this out. I am nervous to see if it could be malignant, she told me I have a 25% chance it is not cancer.

My situation is very rare, and so I have not been able to find much (barly ANY) statistics or information on cases of patients my age. Does anyone know any information that might help me out? I would aslo like to know if there will be a bump/buldge/lump left on my stomach from this as I have read from others. Has anyone else had a robotic partial? Has anyone had surgery at Jefferson?

I don't think this is an emergency, but my doctor said she would like to take it out sooner than later. My surgery is scheduled for Apr 18th. My boyfriend and I had a "free" cruise & flight we won scheduled for the 26th of April. We weren't able to change dates or get our money back (for the taxes) and now we can't go on the cruise :( Makes this all more frustrating!

Thank you!

Comments

  • Mimir
    Mimir Member Posts: 25
    #2
    Age

    I am 18 and I had a 8 X 7 X 4cm Chromophobe RCC tumor in my left kidney. I had the entire kidney  removed robotically. Kidney cancer can happen in young people, though it is rare. A partial is probably the right call because it will preserve the most kidney function. It sounds like it was caught early so your outcome sohuld be very good. The few weeks after surgery you will probably have bloating from gas pumped in during surgery.  The scars aren't too bad.

    If you are interested, here is the post with my story:

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/251421 

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #3
    One lucky 23 year old

    agens, \

     

    On this board we try and focus on the positive. You are very lucky that your mass was found early. Your chance for a full and complete recovery from the surgery alone is close to 100%. If because of your age you had not been diagnosed until much later the consequences could have been serious. Do not get hung up with negative energy that the little buggar is malignant. It probably is. So what. After the surgery you can tell people you had Cancer, not that you have it. Being younger should make your recovery much easier. About a year ago one young mother even went on a roller coaster 90 days after surgery. Even she admitted that was too much, She should of waited another 90 days. In 70 years you should be one of the longest survivors of Kidney Cancer. After I got out of the hospital my wife booked a Cruise calling it our first Annual Caribbean Survivor's Cruise. We just booked our 12th Annual Survivor's Cruise for next January. Icemantoo

  • ajens2528
    ajens2528 Member Posts: 11
    #4
    icemantoo said:

    One lucky 23 year old

    agens, \

     

    On this board we try and focus on the positive. You are very lucky that your mass was found early. Your chance for a full and complete recovery from the surgery alone is close to 100%. If because of your age you had not been diagnosed until much later the consequences could have been serious. Do not get hung up with negative energy that the little buggar is malignant. It probably is. So what. After the surgery you can tell people you had Cancer, not that you have it. Being younger should make your recovery much easier. About a year ago one young mother even went on a roller coaster 90 days after surgery. Even she admitted that was too much, She should of waited another 90 days. In 70 years you should be one of the longest survivors of Kidney Cancer. After I got out of the hospital my wife booked a Cruise calling it our first Annual Caribbean Survivor's Cruise. We just booked our 12th Annual Survivor's Cruise for next January. Icemantoo

    Thank you!

    Mimir thank you for your story it was good to read! And thank you iceman, I really appreciate your words. I'm hoping to get back to regular activity as soon as possible! I will post an update after the surgery!

    :)

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