Waiting for Friday

Hnmacs
Hnmacs Member Posts: 3
edited February 2016 in Kidney Cancer #1

I've been reading all your posts and finally decided to officially join the group. To me, this is acceptance of the fact that I have a health problem which is difficult because I have always been very health conscious. 

Last week I underwent a lap. radical. Discovered by accident, no symptoms, originally told stage 3, but then my MRI did not show renal which gave me hope. After surgery my doc said there was a little renal involvement. Now I am waiting for my appt on Friday for the official report.

Can anyone share their knowledge with me? My question is, if all the cancer was removed through the surgery and there are no signs of mets, what is the next step? Do I just think of this as a bump in the road? I know I have to do follow ups etc. and I'm sure my doc will go over everything, I just want to be prepared for whatever he will say.

I'm getting more and more panicked, I guess I'm looking for some reassurance.

 

 

Comments

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #2
    If your "margins" are clean,

    If your "margins" are clean, and they got it all during the surgery and no sign of mets, you are stage 1.  They will assign a grade to your tumor and staging.   Ask your doctor lots of questions--the most important ones being what is next for you.  Normally, being stage 1 means getting follow up scans every six months for 2 years, and then annual scans out to about 5 or 6 years, but that depends on your doctor's protocol.  If your doctor is a urologist, but not an oncologist, it would be good to get a referral to an oncologist. 

    Try not to read too much you find on Google.  There is a lot of outdated information out there. 

  • hardo718
    hardo718 Member Posts: 853 Member
    #3
    Positive_Mental_Attitude said:

    If your "margins" are clean,

    If your "margins" are clean, and they got it all during the surgery and no sign of mets, you are stage 1.  They will assign a grade to your tumor and staging.   Ask your doctor lots of questions--the most important ones being what is next for you.  Normally, being stage 1 means getting follow up scans every six months for 2 years, and then annual scans out to about 5 or 6 years, but that depends on your doctor's protocol.  If your doctor is a urologist, but not an oncologist, it would be good to get a referral to an oncologist. 

    Try not to read too much you find on Google.  There is a lot of outdated information out there. 

    Welcome Hnmacs

    I'm a bit confused after reading your post, did you have a kidney removed? 

    As stated by the other post, you would be a stage 1, not 3 if there is no mets.  I was stage 1 as well and my doctor is a urologic/oncologist.  I had scans after 6 months & yearly after that.

    Be careful about what you read in your searches, as some of the outdated information out there can really be scary.  I wish I'd known of this forum sooner, it would have been a lot less stressful and anxiety provoking.  These people really know their stuff, nothing like experience to give you knowledge. I hope the info you find here really helps.

    Now we can pay it forward.

    Donna~

     

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #4
    hardo718 said:

    Welcome Hnmacs

    I'm a bit confused after reading your post, did you have a kidney removed? 

    As stated by the other post, you would be a stage 1, not 3 if there is no mets.  I was stage 1 as well and my doctor is a urologic/oncologist.  I had scans after 6 months & yearly after that.

    Be careful about what you read in your searches, as some of the outdated information out there can really be scary.  I wish I'd known of this forum sooner, it would have been a lot less stressful and anxiety provoking.  These people really know their stuff, nothing like experience to give you knowledge. I hope the info you find here really helps.

    Now we can pay it forward.

    Donna~

     

    I'm sorry you had to join us

    I'm sorry you had to join us but welcome. You'll find a lot of support and good information here. Staging depends on how far it has progressed. Stage 3 would mean that it invaded the renal veins. Is that what your doctor said? In any case, the waiting for pathology report is so stressful. Wishing you the very best!

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    #5
    APny said:

    I'm sorry you had to join us

    I'm sorry you had to join us but welcome. You'll find a lot of support and good information here. Staging depends on how far it has progressed. Stage 3 would mean that it invaded the renal veins. Is that what your doctor said? In any case, the waiting for pathology report is so stressful. Wishing you the very best!

    Web search for

    Renal Cancer Staging.  The initial Stage # 1-4, will tell you what the size in mm is, how invasive it is, if it's encapsulated, gone into the blood vessels, and/or beyond the kidney.

    From there, it is broken down by "T"-tumor size, "N"-whether it is found in nodes, and "M"-if it has metastasized.  Until you have some of those numbers, there is not much we can give you information on as to what is "normal"

    Meanwhile, try not to panice, take care of yourself, eat what's good for you, and keep busy so you don't dwell on bad thoughts.

    Let us know on your next Dr. appointment.

    donna_lee

  • Hnmacs
    Hnmacs Member Posts: 3
    #6
    Thank you

    Thanks for the support! I already feel better. My Dr. appt is Friday, I will ask a lot of questions and let you all know.

  • Hnmacs
    Hnmacs Member Posts: 3
    #7
    hardo718 said:

    Welcome Hnmacs

    I'm a bit confused after reading your post, did you have a kidney removed? 

    As stated by the other post, you would be a stage 1, not 3 if there is no mets.  I was stage 1 as well and my doctor is a urologic/oncologist.  I had scans after 6 months & yearly after that.

    Be careful about what you read in your searches, as some of the outdated information out there can really be scary.  I wish I'd known of this forum sooner, it would have been a lot less stressful and anxiety provoking.  These people really know their stuff, nothing like experience to give you knowledge. I hope the info you find here really helps.

    Now we can pay it forward.

    Donna~

     

    Stage?

    Donna, 

    Initially Dr. said stage 3 based on size and that he thought my renal was clogged. But after a MRI, he said there was no clog and then after surgery just a little evidence of renal involvement. I have had CT Scans and MRIs which do not indicate any mets.

    As you know, the stages are scary. You have given me considerable hope that I will return to full health, thank you so very much.

     

     

     

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