39 with renal cancer?

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  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    edited August 2016 #22
    Another opinion

    If you can get another opinion, I would go for it. You didn't mention either doctor's specialty. Urologic oncologist is the best person to see for this decision. Mine was a top doc (head of the urology department at the university of california medical school) and he did not advise for a biopsy. However, mine was a bit larger at 6.8 cm. He said it needed to come out no matter what it was and so no reason to do a biopsy. Usually they do a CT scan with and without contrast. MRI is not usually what is done. I don't know why, but I can tell you that from the 3-4 different places I've been and they were really good cancer centers (City of Hope, UCI Medical School, Cedars Sinai, USC Medical School). All preferred a CT with/without contrast to make these decisions. So I'd try and get another opinion. If you can tell us where you are, people on here might make recommendations of where you might want to go. Another opinion never hurt anybody. Sometimes it takes 3-4 opinions before you see agreement among 1-2 doctors. If they explain their thinking, it might help you make a decision what to do. It's an important decision. There's no rush to make it.

    Wishing you the best,

    Todd

  • TKDgal
    TKDgal Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2016 #23
    I am in Northwest Ohio so I

    I am in Northwest Ohio so I could see about the Cleveland a Clinic. I know several people that had bad experiences there though. Michigan state would be the other option. 

  • Bay Area Guy
    Bay Area Guy Member Posts: 619 Member
    #24
    TKDgal said:

    I am in Northwest Ohio so I

    I am in Northwest Ohio so I could see about the Cleveland a Clinic. I know several people that had bad experiences there though. Michigan state would be the other option. 

    From 2013

    Ratings for Midwest hospitals as relates generally to cancer.  The article is from three years ago.

    http://www.kansashealthcarecareers.com/top-10-cancer-treatment-hospitals-in-the-midwest/

     

     

  • Spivey88
    Spivey88 Member Posts: 43
    #25
    No biopsy!

    The biopsy is too dangerous.  Either way cancer or not, you want it out.  Don't r the biopsy.  Over 90% of the time, a solid mass is cancer.  Do a partial and get it out! 

  • medic1971
    medic1971 Member Posts: 225 Member
    #26
    When you get time

    When you have about 20 minutes or so you should watch this video.  This is from a lecture given this year and the doctor presenting is a urologist at MD Anderson.   A video just like this one helped me to make decisions and this video gave me a lot of comfort.  It also addresses the biopsy question.

    Evaluation and Management of the Small Renal Mass, Surena F. Matin, MD

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUI-ZzcViE

  • TKDgal
    TKDgal Member Posts: 12
    #27
    medic1971 said:

    When you get time

    When you have about 20 minutes or so you should watch this video.  This is from a lecture given this year and the doctor presenting is a urologist at MD Anderson.   A video just like this one helped me to make decisions and this video gave me a lot of comfort.  It also addresses the biopsy question.

    Evaluation and Management of the Small Renal Mass, Surena F. Matin, MD

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUI-ZzcViE

    Video

    Thanks for the link. I am really thinking I want this out now. 

  • lthhampton
    lthhampton Member Posts: 3
    edited August 2016 #28
    Same Here

    When  I was first diagnosed my uncle who has been battleing different forms of cancer for many years highly suggested a biopsy. I brought the idea to my doctors (military) and they frankly said something similar to what other people here in discussion is saying- "it might spread." I made a well thought out decision to not biopsy due to having a scheduled surgery where part of the kidney was going to be removed anyway. I personally didn't want to waste anytime with a biopsy. I wanted to be relieved of a potentially fatal form of kidney cancer. At any rate, my surgery was July 22nd, my pathology report stated Multiocular Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma which is malignant. So I'm glad I didn't wait for the biopsy. Just want to share...

  • Rob57
    Rob57 Member Posts: 25
    #29
    My experience

    My urologist is a specialist in kidney surgery. All of the medical community that I spoke to had a very good opinion of him and his ability. Had an ultrasound that showed the initial evidence of the tumor and it was confirmed by CT scan a few days later. No talk of need for biopsy since he said that may cause the disease to spread. Mine was confiend to my left kidney at about 5.5 cm. My urologist said that he could do a partial or remove the whole thing. He suggested removing it as the safest course and I agreed. I also have the great benefit of having a friend who is a really good radiologist so I had him to rely on with my many questions. He was a great help to me. 10 days later it was gone. That was about 15 days from the initial diagnosis by my primary doctor who found it during an ultrasound in her office. Had lathroscopic surgery by robot. Four small holes and a 3 inch slit where the kidney came out. I was in the hospital less than a day and back at work about 3 weeks later. I don't mean to make it sound easy because it wasn't. This is major surgery and there are risks to that but in my case I felt it needed to be done and as quickly as possible. You need at least three weeks to recover from this type of surgery. I stayed on the couch for about 10 days because it was the most comfortable place.  No matter what time of day it was every two hours I got up and walked around my living room. 

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