Husband has cancer

Kim,

It sure scared the hell out of me when I peed red in May, 2002. I accused my wife of pouring candy and kool aid down the toilet until I saw for myself. Yes the Kidney does have to come out. My coming out day was on August 1, 2002 (when I was a young 59). Lucky for your sharp eyes in that Valantine day shower.

In all seriousness he should be fine after the surgery. He will have regular scans for at least 5 years.  There is no way to sugar coat the surgery or recovery. Sorry but we welcome newcomers with major abdominal surgery rather than the different welcomings offered by the mainstream cancers.

As far as colon cancer my mother also had it in her early 50's. She only had the initial surgery and died last year at 93 years young.

Icemantoo

sblairc said:

Welcome to our board.

Hello and welcome. I post here on behalf of my husband as well (Stage 3 survivor, full kidney and adrenal gland removal) 17 months ago. He's 48 years old. Very similar story to your husband except my husband never left the hospital until 10 days or so later after his surgery.

Yes, your doc is correct. There is currently not a follow up treatment for kidney cancer that has not spread. If there is visible presence of metastatic disease revealed through post operative/pre-operative tests (Stage 4) there will be treatments available.  If the kidney is removed and nothing else is found, you move on to "survaillence." There is currently no treatment to eradicate the presence of cancer that cannot be detected by a test. There isn't even a test to see if it is there. Frustrating. 

This can be a tough thing to understand and deal with. Initially when I heard "no chemo, no radiation" I was thrilled. I thought that meant it was less serious and no big deal. Well, not needing it is different than the fact that kidney cancer doesn't have a therapy to eliminate the potential invisible cells lurking elsewhere. 

But as you will find as you read here, we go on. There are new treatments in immunotherapy that are huge game changers for us here!! Keep us posted. And, again, welcome. 

Sorry to hear about your husband. My fiance had kidney cancer too. As Iceman said, this is a proper course of action - surgery and then surveiallance. Good news that the tumor sounds like Stage 1 and hasn't spread. Surgery should be the cure.

good luck and keep us posted!

Jmat23 said:

Chest scan

I would've thought a chest CT/x ray would have been performed as part of the pre-operation cancer staging. My tumour was 7.5cm as its greatest extent and the doctor ordered a chest scan to rule out mets (spread).  At the time he was very confident there'd be no spread but thought it prudent to make sure.

I'm very sorry to hear about your husband. Like him and many others here, my first sign was peeing pure blood. Definitely see a specialist who focuses on kidney cancer and yes, he should have a chest x-ray and CT scan with and without contrast. Even though it's 6 cm they may be able to do a partial nephrectomy. That's why it's important to see someone who specializes in this. Wishing you both the best.

Wellcome & Sorry you had to join us, as others said, RCC is resistant to chemo, but in some cases cyberknife & radiotherapy can help. The main and usually only needed treatment is nephrectomy and if it spreads then target therapy is the main choice.
 In my case the I had a chest X-ray & abdomen/pelvis CT with/without contrast before the surgery.
You have to wait for the pathology report  to know all detail.
 wishing him a successful surgery and speedy recovery and best possible pathology report
Stay strong
Forough

Hi, Kim.

I recognize you from the colon board.  I don't post often - but stop by every once in a while to read and send prayers and good vibes to those in need.

I had both colorectal cancer (surgery April 2013) and RCC (partial nephrectomy July 2014).  The only treatment for RCC is surgery - unless they find mets.  The prognosis is very good if caught early - and it sounds like that may be the case for your husband.

Best wishes to you both.  Let me know if you have any more questions.

Jenni

Annabelle41415 said:

Thank you Everyone

You all are so wonderful in your posts and responses to me and my husband's diagnosis.  You have given me much knowledge in the short time that I'm trying to deal with all of this.  Your experience and struggles along with treatment is what I'm searching for.  As some of you mentioned, this is nothing like what I've dealt with my cancer as mine was treated totally differently.  His urologist is also an oncologist so he is highly recommended and we felt very comfortable in his plan going forward.  Tomorrow he goes in for his CT scan with contrast and next week, chest X-ray.  I'm surprised they just didn't do a complete chest/ab/pelvis CT scan like with colorectal patients.  Could be that insurance companies are trying to get away with paying for all that anymore, but it seems to make more sense to get a "great" reading instead of a "good" reading.  Just wanted to let you all know that you all are in my prayers as my prayers include all that are on these boards.  His surgery date is March 26, and it seems ironic but that is exactly that same date that my rectal cancer surgery was 6 years ago.  It seems we are somehow connected every which way you can be - but what a bad thing to happen to both of us on the same day.  Our life is good though and we are positive moving forward and you have helped also.  Thank you all again.  I'll keep you posted.

Kim

Kim, I was 36 at the time of diagnosis, very terrified, hopeless,unsure and frustrated. Now six months post surgery, i remember my surgery date as the best day in my life. It was the day I got hopefully free of cancer and was given another chance to live. What could I ask more? You both have the same exact day which i believe has a meaning, he will survive just like you did. Sending you prayers.Forough

donna_lee said:

Kidney cancer is a different kind of animal

First-sorry you are here.  Second-welcome aboard. and

Yes, surgery and no "chemo" is standard.  Once your hubby has had a full CT w/wo contrast, and ruled out mets to other organs or the bones, a partial or full nephrectomy is standard.  Oncologists will not enroll anyone in any kind of trial drug when there is no active site that can be monitored.  And they have not found any drug that is just given to a patient to keep kidney cancer from returning or showing up later.

There are so many variants of kidney cancer, that cannot be determined until the path report/Staging is completed.  Once you have those results, you will be able to do more research, ask questions, talk to the oncologist and proceed from there.

I'm at almost 9 years beyond surgery, but who's counting?  Me!

Donna

Kim, first of all, thank for being such a wonderful person and wife to find us and tell us your husband's experience.

I am sorry for what you both are going through. Cancer, what a thing to have in common! Hope this brings you two even closer.

Please keep us posted as to how he is doing. I will pray for a successful surgery March 26th.

Give your hubby a hug from me and tell him I am glad you thought to get on the kidney cancer section.

Sending him healing light and hope of a great recovery!

Hugs, Jan