Scared to death

Marie, 

At 1.5m (about 48 inches)  if accurate your tumor is one of the largest known to man or woman. Let me assume that it is 100th  that size which is 1.5cm. Any tumor in the Kidney under 4 cm is considered small and the surgery alone is as close to a 100 % cure as you can get. As far as pain, that is why they have pain medication. No pain, mo gain. That is what you have to do. The alternative of not having the surgery is less fun. It spreads over time and what happens then is not fun.

As far as getting back to work in a kitchen you may want to try it after a month. However there is a big difference between handling your job in  a month and being able to handle it 8 hours a day after a month,

We have all been thru this and the words Cancer and surgery are enough ti scare anyone. Your odds for a full recovery are excellent, However every night  open the window and sceam I an going to kick Cancer on its **** 5 times and you should be fine,

Icemantoo

Texas_wedge said:

1.5 cm. tumor

I wouldn't want iceman as my tailor - 1.5 m. is approx. 60 inches!

How old are you Marie?  Unless there is some exceptional and very good reason, no-one should even be considering surgery for you.  They should be taking the 'watch and wait' approach - scanning you at regular intervals and seeing whether the tiny lesion grows or not.  There is virtually zero risk of it spreading (if it is cancer) until it's at least ten times the volume it is at present. 

Without a good excuse, it would be the height of irresponsibility to operate on you at present - it would put you in a queue ahead of people in much more need, it would absorb valuable resources prematurely and it would subject you to an ordeal, time off work, and interruption of usual family life when you don't need it. 

You might, sometime in the future, need the surgery but you might not.  Continuing surveillance at the present time won't involve taking any unnecessary risk - unless there is some special reason for needing emergency surgery.

Hi TW,

I probably sound like a broken record, but location is extremely important apart from size. Even a tiny tumor that is up against the renal vein (for example) may need to be removed ASAP. You've made an assumption that the tiny tumor is in one of the extreme upper or lower lobes and fully encapsulated with plenty of margin to grow.

Hopefully, that's the case. Also, hopefully, even if Marie does need surgery at some point, with such a small tumor a partial nephrectomy or some other kidney-sparing surgery would work for her.

Best wishes,

Todd

Eims said:

Hi Marie_Lynn,
Now this might

Hi Marie_Lynn,

Now this might sound completely heartless but "YOU CAN DO THIS LADY".  You are stronger than you think and there will be no pain, they really do manage it very well and to be honest its more uncomfortable than painful...if that makes sense.  Do you have any children?  As for work well I am returning this week after my op on the 14th of January.  Take your time and concentrate on your recovery......go back when you feel you are ready and not before.....Venting is good and actually is good for you.....

Eims x

Marie_Lynn,   It is amazing to find out how strong we can be when we have to.  This will be one of those times for you.  Depending on several factors (location location location), you have to deal with this.  Talk to your Dr about the (rational) fear of pain.  Some antianxiety medicine can be most helpful.  You would not be the first persion on it.

But, this is a temparary state.  I am confident that you can get through it.  Just remember, the pain is temparary.  Getting the cancer out is perminent (we hope).

foxhd said:

No big deal

Eims is correct. You can do this. Actually you have to do this. You don't have much choice. Your hospital personnel will take GREAT care of you. Let that be the least of your worries. Make some wonderful plans for your recovery. It will be a great time to enjoy the beach, the mountains, or old friends. Plan to do something that you have been neglecting.

Todd, I stand absolutely on what I've said (and I haven't made any assumptions at all).   I said that surgery shouldn't even be considered at this point UNLESS there's a very good reason for it.   Marie doesn't have (or hasn't mentioned) an explanation of why anyone has suggested surgery.  It would be unusual for there to be any real risk, with such a tiny lesion, in following the current expert advice which would be for 'watch and wait' rather than surgery.  

Accordingly, the first thing she needs to do is to ask why surgery is envisaged.  If, and only if, a convincing argument is made should she have surgery at this time.  If she needs surgery, it will be very little different in a few months time (or even a few years if the lesion were to grow at the usual slow pace).

Texas_wedge said:

Surgery

Todd, I stand absolutely on what I've said (and I haven't made any assumptions at all).   I said that surgery shouldn't even be considered at this point UNLESS there's a very good reason for it.   Marie doesn't have (or hasn't mentioned) an explanation of why anyone has suggested surgery.  It would be unusual for there to be any real risk, with such a tiny lesion, in following the current expert advice which would be for 'watch and wait' rather than surgery.  

Accordingly, the first thing she needs to do is to ask why surgery is envisaged.  If, and only if, a convincing argument is made should she have surgery at this time.  If she needs surgery, it will be very little different in a few months time (or even a few years if the lesion were to grow at the usual slow pace).

It is a small tumor at this point and I'm not disagreeing that the wait and watch approach might be the perfect approach. One of the considerations is a patient's anxiety with this approach. Some people (me, for example) might not be able to be ok with waiting and watching. Of course my tumor was larger, but I was just shy of grabbing a table knife and doing it myself over the weekend!

Hopefully, the doctor is providing good care and advice through this difficult decision. The important thing is that all options are considered and weighed and it's certainly terrific that we all offer our 2 cents in case it wasn't brought up by the doctor(s).

Best,

Todd

marie_lynn58 said:

my tumor was first noticed in

my tumor was first noticed in 2010 mm in size it has grown.to 1.5cm i am being told that  since it is growing it is acting like RCC,

AND probaly 90%postive.biopsy out to close to spleen and pancrease etc...it locate at the upper pole of  left kidney though it is smalll  & is growing doesnt make me feel good.i think i want  out ifit is still growing..thankyou for your input. it  helped i need to toughen up.wish  luck first i have pfts week then probaly after that it will be scheduled..

thank you

marie

was found on ct scanwith contrast  then on mri  kidneys with contrast also

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It sounds like you might be a good candidate for kidney sparing surgery like a partial nephrectomy. Are they doing a partial or a radical nephrectomy? If they aren't doing a partial, why not?

Todd

Take it from me, the most squeamish and cowardly patient ever invented.   Sharp pains are not really much of a problem.  You are sore after surgery but really more a nagging dull pain that goes away after a few weeks.  Try to get off morphine as fast as possible and strong Tylanol should be all you need, and even that for maybe a week or so.

I would not hurry back to work but within a few weeks, let's say 6-8 at most, you should be completely functional.

Eliezer2 said:

Pain is actually not the problem

Take it from me, the most squeamish and cowardly patient ever invented.   Sharp pains are not really much of a problem.  You are sore after surgery but really more a nagging dull pain that goes away after a few weeks.  Try to get off morphine as fast as possible and strong Tylanol should be all you need, and even that for maybe a week or so.

 

I would not hurry back to work but within a few weeks, let's say 6-8 at most, you should be completely functional.

When I had my radical nephrectomy almost 2 years ago I was surprised how much pain I DIDN'T have! The first day wasn't aware of too much as fairly doped up but then went on to use PCA (personal controlled analgesia) the second day and not much else after that - paracetamol only required for a few days. I had extensive surgery and have a 30cm scar right down my abdomen as a souvenir. 

dhs1963 said:

I would think partial laproscopic or robitic

Much less invasive.  But not everyone does it that way.  I would find a surgeon / urologistis.

 

THe open will be more painfun,with a longer recovery time.

I've been seeing both kinds recommended. Earlier I would have thought a laproscopic would be the way to go, but then one of our people here (Mike) had a partial done at UCLA by a very good surgeon who also recommended open. There might be a reason open was recommended over a lap, other than the surgeon doesn't do those. You might ask and you might seek out a surgeon that does laproscopic partials.

Partials are tricky, from what I understand. It's a much more complicated surgery than a radical.

My radical was supposed to have been done with a laproscopy. I was suprised at not only how many scars I had, but how large the primary scar was. I had 5 scars, and the largest one (where the kidney was removed) was about 6". Since I've had a hernia repair and an appendectomy all on that side, I look like a war hero in my bathing suit.

Todd