Spread straight to the brain

FaerieQueen
FaerieQueen Member Posts: 5
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hi, I am new here. My father (57) was diangosed with renal cell carcinoma last June and had a total left nephrectomy. The tumor was incased in the kidney and showed no signs of spread, lymph nodes were removed to be careful but they came out negative. The tumor was starting to go up the vein but the Urologist seemed confident it was taken in time and we would have to have a follow up every 3 months with an abdomin/chest scan which each time thankfully came back fine....fastforward to Febuary and my father is feeling weak and is forgetting things. Finally he gets a brain scan and it comes back saying he has mestastic cancer in the brain (two lesions) and lots of edema. :( I was devistated...my father's GP reccomened he start radiation therapy and thankfully I research this stuff and find out radiation is not that effective with RRC and I wanted a second opinion so off to OSU medical center he went. We had him admitted and from there found out it was operable & no other signs of cancer which I was so happy about. The tumors were about 2cm and 1cm each and were on the surface of the brain. So he had the two brain surgies at once and had an amazing recovery and it was reccomended he have focal radiation to each spot afterwards so he just finished that recently. He is recovering from a bowel obstrution surgery right now  (always something!) so that is our main priority. We go see the oncologist for the first time on the 18th up at OSU and I am nervous with what he'll say but he is a very good doctor with lots of experience and he is a RRC speacialist.

I am very worried as the radiologist told us there is a 70% chance it will come back in the brain 10% in the exact spots in the brain where the lesions were. Hard to tell where else it will spread to as well...

My main question is, was it rare for it to just spread straight to the brain? & why did it spread if it was only stage II, because it was getting  close to that vein therefore got into the bloodstream? Any tips for him now that he is stage iv?

 

I look forward to getting everyones feedback thank you for reading. I am going to fight hard for my father and do everything I can!!

Comments

  • angec
    angec Member Posts: 924 Member
    #2
    Glad you are keeping on top

    Glad you are keeping on top of things and are committed to fighting hard! That is a good attitude to start with and will be needed.  Please give some details as to the size of the mass, the type of RCC if you have it and possibly the path reports.  As far as spreading to the brain quickly, someone else with experience will follow through on this post soon.  There are treatments for when it hits the brain as well besides the radiation and surgery. What are they going to put dad on as far as treatment? Did they discuss Votrient or Suten?  Any other drugs or even trials? There is alot of things available currently.  Glad surgery was done and was successful, hopefully now they will start him on something to stop the growth.  Please keep us posted and keep positive as your dad is young and is in a good position to do well with treatment.  In the meantime take one day at a time.  xx All the best to you both!

  • FaerieQueen
    FaerieQueen Member Posts: 5
    #3
    angec said:

    Glad you are keeping on top

    Glad you are keeping on top of things and are committed to fighting hard! That is a good attitude to start with and will be needed.  Please give some details as to the size of the mass, the type of RCC if you have it and possibly the path reports.  As far as spreading to the brain quickly, someone else with experience will follow through on this post soon.  There are treatments for when it hits the brain as well besides the radiation and surgery. What are they going to put dad on as far as treatment? Did they discuss Votrient or Suten?  Any other drugs or even trials? There is alot of things available currently.  Glad surgery was done and was successful, hopefully now they will start him on something to stop the growth.  Please keep us posted and keep positive as your dad is young and is in a good position to do well with treatment.  In the meantime take one day at a time.  xx All the best to you both!

    Thanks for the reply! I will

    Thanks for the reply! I will ask for the pathology reports when we see his oncologist for the first time this Thursday. I am pretty sure it's clear cell, and the original tumor that was in the left kidney was around 7cm I think. The ones in the brain were 2cm & 1cm. No discussion of any drugs yet but I am expecting the oncologist to bring this up, if not I will. Thanks again.

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