Kidney Cancer / Post Surgery

HELLO

i HAD PART OF MY RIGHT KIDNEY ON SEPT 13,2012. HAD MY 6 MONTH CHECK UP AND ALL IS GOOD SO FAR.IT HAS TAKEN SOME TIME TO GET BACK TO DOING NORMAL THINGS AS I WAS IDLE FOR OVER 6 WEEKS AND WAS WEAK.IT TAKES TIME TO GET THINGS WORKING AND ONE BIG ONE IS YOUR MIND.. ALOT OF CRAZY THINGS GO THUR IT AND PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND UNLESS THEY HERE THE WORDS YOU HAVE CANCER.GLAD PEOPLE ARE DOING GOOD AND LIVING LONGER AS I PLAN ON IT..  GOOD LUCK EVERYONE 

Well looks like I have been hit with the "C" word! which led to my Urologist to candidly tell me that my right kidney has to go! The tumor practically the size of the kidney itself.  He is optimistic that by removing the kidney that no chemo or radiation needed.  He of course then overwhelmed me with a great description of the anatomy and my images which I think is great but at the moment I could not come up with questions.  Now Im researching and wanted to touch base with any one who has gone through anything similar to this.  Im concerned about the staging...and the likelyhood that it has spread although chest xray so far looks clear...but im thinking more on a microscopic level....i mean the cancerous cells may be floating around right? and then eventually grow into a mass elsewhere? A lot to take in right now...

Hi,

I am petrified to go and get my left kidney removed.   I have seen 3 surgeons so far.

Surgeon #1 --- Insisted that the kidney must be removed.  "No partial".  Not much explanation.

Surgeon #2 --- Said that she could do a partial with "No problem".  She decided not to reveal to me how many years or procedures that she has done and then declined the surgery.

Surgeon #3 --- Fully explained that even if he wanted to do a partial there would only be remnants left of my kidney.  He looked me straight in the eye and was very intelligent.  I decided on the spot that he was the correct surgeon for the job.  I was originally diagnosed by chance with a solid enhancing mass in the lower left pole of hte left kidney measuring 5.9 cm x 6.1 cm x 7.1 cm by a CT scan of the abdomen.  A subsequent MRI showed the same thing showing a smaller measurement of apx 1 cm for the mass.

I also understand that it has not spread to anywhere else in my body and is  encapsulated in the kidney.

Additionally I went for testing and was informed that my left kidney is functioning at 47% and my right kidney is functioning at 52%.  After discussing this with a kidney Doctor and the Urologist surgeon both of them concluded that I will not need dialysis.

I understand that there is a possibility for this to be benign.

Is there any other technology that exists to determine if this is benign or cancerous ?  I understand that the surgeons do not want to do a biopsy because of the risk of "seeding".

Is there any other technology or treatment available to shrink the tumor without having any surgery ?

Any comments or professional opionions would be greatly appreciated.  

My surgery is scheduled for February 04, 2021.

Thank you,

Andrew

Jesuit1234 said:

7.1 cm renal cell carcinoma suspected mass in my left kidney

Hi,

I am petrified to go and get my left kidney removed.   I have seen 3 surgeons so far.

Surgeon #1 --- Insisted that the kidney must be removed.  "No partial".  Not much explanation.

Surgeon #2 --- Said that she could do a partial with "No problem".  She decided not to reveal to me how many years or procedures that she has done and then declined the surgery.

Surgeon #3 --- Fully explained that even if he wanted to do a partial there would only be remnants left of my kidney.  He looked me straight in the eye and was very intelligent.  I decided on the spot that he was the correct surgeon for the job.  I was originally diagnosed by chance with a solid enhancing mass in the lower left pole of hte left kidney measuring 5.9 cm x 6.1 cm x 7.1 cm by a CT scan of the abdomen.  A subsequent MRI showed the same thing showing a smaller measurement of apx 1 cm for the mass.

I also understand that it has not spread to anywhere else in my body and is  encapsulated in the kidney.

Additionally I went for testing and was informed that my left kidney is functioning at 47% and my right kidney is functioning at 52%.  After discussing this with a kidney Doctor and the Urologist surgeon both of them concluded that I will not need dialysis.

I understand that there is a possibility for this to be benign.

Is there any other technology that exists to determine if this is benign or cancerous ?  I understand that the surgeons do not want to do a biopsy because of the risk of "seeding".

Is there any other technology or treatment available to shrink the tumor without having any surgery ?

Any comments or professional opionions would be greatly appreciated.  

My surgery is scheduled for February 04, 2021.

Thank you,

Andrew

 

 

Hi Andrew.  Sorry you had to join us.  This is a great, supportive group.

I'm familiar with only three procedures.  First is surgery.  I had a partial, but for a much smaller lesion.  Surgery is still the gold standard for treatment.  Second is biopsy.  My sister is a nurse practitioner and, like the surgeons you spoke with, she recommended against the biopsy for the same reason.....seeding.  The third is ablation, either cryo (freezing) or radio frequency ("cooking).  My surgery was almost five years ago, so things on the ablation front may have changed.  At the time, I seem to recall that ablation was only used for tumors 4cm and under.  Ablation, also at the time, had a success rate in the mid-90% range while surgery was, for all intents and purposes, curative for lesions my size.  Again, I doubt ablation would even be practical for your situation.

There are some other drug based therapies that others in this group are far, far more knowledgeable about, as my knowledge is limited to the fact that the treatments exist, and that's it.

In terms of selecting your surgeon, comfort and confidence in your choice is an extremely important factor.  It sounds like you have found one that fits that description, so you can be pleased about that.

Others will likely chime in with additional thoughts.  Hopes and prayers that you have a successful treatment.

At 7.1 cm. get it out. Not likely to be benigm at that size.Mine was a little smaller back in 2002.

ocemantoo

AliceB1950 said:

My unwelcome passenger was 7

My unwelcome passenger was 7 cm x about 6 cm - about the size of an extra large egg. I had a total laparoscopic nephrectomy in September of 2018, and went home the next day. What is it that scares you most about the surgery?  It hurts for a while, but I've had I think 9 surgeries and this was nothing compared to my hip replacement and a knee repair. With a nephrectomy, they get you up and walking the same day or next morning, and walking is what gets you back to normal - plus drinking lots of water. A surgeon I was seeing the same year for a different issue had served on a kidney transplant team for one of her residencies, and she reminded me that it's basically the same surgery the donors go through. Do you watch American Ninja Warrior? One of the top contenders the last few seasons is a kidney donor.

HI,

I am afraid of even getting surgery.  Being put under and the possibility of complications.

Also I am concerned because my GFR is 60 for the right kidney which puts it on the absolute low end of normal.  Now it is going to be taxed to do the job of the kidney that is being removed also.  

I really thought that since it is 2021 that there could be a sure fire way to determine if it is cancerous or not.  There is no history of this type or any type of cancer in my family.  I am 61.  

Jesuit1234 said:

Hi

HI,

I am afraid of even getting surgery.  Being put under and the possibility of complications.

Also I am concerned because my GFR is 60 for the right kidney which puts it on the absolute low end of normal.  Now it is going to be taxed to do the job of the kidney that is being removed also.  

I really thought that since it is 2021 that there could be a sure fire way to determine if it is cancerous or not.  There is no history of this type or any type of cancer in my family.  I am 61.  

 

Surgery is never fun.  I've had fhere in my lifetime.  The first two were all abdominal surgeries to take care of intestines which had twisted and shut down my digestive tract.  As both were emergency surgeries, and I was on pain meds both times, I had no knowledge of the surgery until I woke up in the recovery room.  I found out I needed the kidney surgery in mid-April and the operation wasn't scheduled until mid-June, so I had two months to stew over that one.  Like you, I was scared, but having gone through the other two, I found it easier to control my emotions.  A couple of suggestions:

1.  Try to get in as good a physical condition as possible.  I'm a gym rat, and I kept it up until the day before the surgery.  Being in better physical condition helps your recovery a lot.

2.  If you're underseight, try to eat more so you gain to a healthy weight.  I'm normally about 170.  I ate more in those two months to get up to 180.  Why?  You're going to lose weight in the time you're in the hospital.  Having a little bit to give up means you'll be in a better state for your recovery after the surgery.

The CT finding indicates indeterminate nodule in middle of adrenal gland with findings of small rcc metastisis vs scar tissue from nephrectomy last November.  The nodule was only 14mm. My follow up CT with contrast is tomorrow.  Has anyone else had scar tissue appear as nodule in the adrenal gland?