Newly diagnosed.

Sandi45
Sandi45 Member Posts: 25
in Kidney Cancer #1

I am a 48 year old female who was just diagnosed last week with a 6mm renal tumor. 

I am scheduled to have open surgery for a partial neph on Sept. 18.

The major complication is that I only have the one kidney as I had the other one removed in 2006 due to a blockage that ruined the kidney. I also have stage 3 Chronic Kidney disease. 

I am scared and super emotional. At this point I am kind of still in shock and stunned I guess. 

The doctor thinks that it is cancerous and feels that once it is removed that I should be ok. 

I guess I don't really know what questions I have, just reading and absorbing.

Thanks for listening.

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease

    Sandi45,

     

    Sorry you had to join our club especially when you are down to one kidney already. You, I and most of the members already have Stage 3 CKC which is defined as a GFR reading between 30 and 59. Those of us in the upper 60's and 70's likely have stage 3 CKD even with 2 Kidneys.In other words the definition of Stage 3 CKC is worse than the bite. Hopefully yours is at the upper end of those numbers. Mine went down to 41 about 2 years ago and I began seeing a Nephrologist who got it back up to 47 by getting my blood pressure even lower.  If  you have a GFR  in the 50's and can keep it there in the long run you should be OK as far as Kidney function. Definately follow up with a Nephrologist to address your kidnay function issues in the future.

     

     

    Icemantoo

  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #3
    6mm?

    Hi Sandi,

    Welcome to the club and I'm sorry life brought you here, I joined nearly 4 years ago.  I have a question about the size of your tumor, at 6 mm it would be about the size of a pea and not likely diagnosable as rcc, might it be 6 cm (plumb size) instead?  I also read in another of your posts that you had a ct 2 years ago, so if it is 6 cm it should have been visible then, I would ask your doc about that.  There are people living normal lives with less than one kidney, no reason to believe that with modifications in diet and lifestyle (if needed) you can't join them.

    Keep us posted,

    Gary

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #4
    Newly Diagnosed

    Hi Sandi, 

    I can imagine this is very worrying news for you, where is the tumour situated? I think there is another member Limelife50 who has gone through something similar to this. With his experience maybe he can offer you some advice. In the meantime have you been advised to drink plenty before the surgery?

    Everyone on here will try and support you as much as they can. Even if you just want to chat there will be someone on here to listen 24/7. 

     

    Djinnie x

  • Sandi45
    Sandi45 Member Posts: 25
    #5
    garym said:

    6mm?

    Hi Sandi,

    Welcome to the club and I'm sorry life brought you here, I joined nearly 4 years ago.  I have a question about the size of your tumor, at 6 mm it would be about the size of a pea and not likely diagnosable as rcc, might it be 6 cm (plumb size) instead?  I also read in another of your posts that you had a ct 2 years ago, so if it is 6 cm it should have been visible then, I would ask your doc about that.  There are people living normal lives with less than one kidney, no reason to believe that with modifications in diet and lifestyle (if needed) you can't join them.

    Keep us posted,

    Gary

    Ooops, sorry the tumor is now

    Ooops, sorry the tumor is now 6cm not mm. It was 3 cm 2 years ago but at that time they thought it was just a simple cyst.

    Thank you for the good thoughts, I am glad to know that there are people who live with less than one kidney :)

  • Sandi45
    Sandi45 Member Posts: 25
    #6
    Djinnie said:

    Newly Diagnosed

    Hi Sandi, 

    I can imagine this is very worrying news for you, where is the tumour situated? I think there is another member Limelife50 who has gone through something similar to this. With his experience maybe he can offer you some advice. In the meantime have you been advised to drink plenty before the surgery?

    Everyone on here will try and support you as much as they can. Even if you just want to chat there will be someone on here to listen 24/7. 

     

    Djinnie x

    In the medical jargon words

    In the medical jargon words it is in the lateral right interpolar region. When I saw it on the MRI it appeared to be half inside the kidney half outside the kidney.

  • Sandi45
    Sandi45 Member Posts: 25
    #7
    Djinnie said:

    Newly Diagnosed

    Hi Sandi, 

    I can imagine this is very worrying news for you, where is the tumour situated? I think there is another member Limelife50 who has gone through something similar to this. With his experience maybe he can offer you some advice. In the meantime have you been advised to drink plenty before the surgery?

    Everyone on here will try and support you as much as they can. Even if you just want to chat there will be someone on here to listen 24/7. 

     

    Djinnie x

    Oh I was going to ask you

    Oh I was going to ask you about the drinking plenty before surgery. No one has mentioned that to me, but I will sure do it if that is something I should be doing! 

  • mrs_blkjak
    mrs_blkjak Member Posts: 103
    #8
    Sandi45 said:

    Oh I was going to ask you

    Oh I was going to ask you about the drinking plenty before surgery. No one has mentioned that to me, but I will sure do it if that is something I should be doing! 

    You do have a unique

    You do have a unique situation. My understanding is that there are people living relatively good lives with half a kidney. It sounds like they think the cancer is contained to your kidney, so that is good news! I ope all goes well. 

Discussion Boards