New here, sonographer found her own mass, suspected kidney cancer

LindseyChristine
LindseyChristine Member Posts: 16 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hi everyone. I'm really glad I found this board! I'm 35, a sonographer and just found a 3cm mass on my right kidney, near the renal pelvis. I found this incidentally as I was just scanning myself as I do sometimes. I hadnt scanned my kidneys in about 4 or so months... and decided to take a peak... well there it was. I immediately went and got a CT scan with contrast. It came back very suspicious for malignancy. So now I wait a week to see the urologist. I am completely beside myself. My husband is as well. We have 2 small boys, and just relocated somewhere new. I've always been healthy, haven't smoked in 15 years. My world has turned upside down! I pray that this mass has not metastasized, but I worry with it being so close to the renal arteries. I guess now, I wait! Thank you for reading!

Comments

  • Biner
    Biner Member Posts: 137 Member
    #2
    Hello

    First calm down,you are in right way!3 cm consider small,under 3 cm very rare metastize.Small mass can be not cancer,benigh.But i think mass need to go out with surgery for safe

    Stay positive,before you exactly know what is it.

  • AliceB1950
    AliceB1950 Member Posts: 244 Member
    #3
    Had you scanned that area of

    Had you scanned that area of your kidney four months ago? Most kidney cancers are slow-growing and wouldn't appear that fast. Did your in primary care doctor order that CT with contrast? It sounds like you just walked in and asked for one? I cannot imagine any credible imaging center doing that. I certainly wouldn't go to one that would. I just feel you've left out some things that's making this hard to follow.

  • eug91
    eug91 Member Posts: 471 Member
    edited August 2021 #4
    welcome LindseyChristine-

    Sorry you had to join us, but I'm glad you found us. This is a great group here. We've been through what you're going through - we made it out, and we know you will, too. If you have any questions or concerns or just need to vent, we're here for you. 

    The being beside yourself is normal. It's only natural. It's a huge shock to discover a tumor - especially being as young as you are. But stay positive! The good news is that you caught it early. As Biner said above, it's highly unlikely for it to have spread when the turmor is under 4cm. 

    So try to stay positive. We know it's not easy - we all struggle with the feelings, too. But be thankful that you caught it so early! 

    Okay - sidebar. YOU'RE A SONOGRAPHER WHO WAS SCANNING HERSELF JUST FOR FUN? I've never heard of that before and that's AWESOME. Now I'm totally imagining you watching your boys in-utero just because you could. "What're we doing tonight? Netflix... or watch our future progeny kick it inside the utero?" LOL. 

    Anyways, fingers crossed for you and your urologist visit. Let us know how things go. You're gonna do great - you've got this!

  • LindseyChristine
    LindseyChristine Member Posts: 16 Member
    #5
    AliceB1950 said:

    Had you scanned that area of

    Had you scanned that area of your kidney four months ago? Most kidney cancers are slow-growing and wouldn't appear that fast. Did your in primary care doctor order that CT with contrast? It sounds like you just walked in and asked for one? I cannot imagine any credible imaging center doing that. I certainly wouldn't go to one that would. I just feel you've left out some things that's making this hard to follow.

    Sorry I'm making it hard to

    Sorry I'm making it hard to follow. I often scan myself becuase I have endometriosis and I'll just quickly peak at my kidneys/liver; the last time I did was around March or April. I am new to my area and do not have a PCP yet. Since I'm a sonographer, the characteristics of the mass were concerning. It was evening, so I went in to the ED, showed the ED doc my pictures and she ordered the CT with contrast. 

  • LindseyChristine
    LindseyChristine Member Posts: 16 Member
    edited August 2021 #6
    eug91 said:

    welcome LindseyChristine-

    Sorry you had to join us, but I'm glad you found us. This is a great group here. We've been through what you're going through - we made it out, and we know you will, too. If you have any questions or concerns or just need to vent, we're here for you. 

    The being beside yourself is normal. It's only natural. It's a huge shock to discover a tumor - especially being as young as you are. But stay positive! The good news is that you caught it early. As Biner said above, it's highly unlikely for it to have spread when the turmor is under 4cm. 

    So try to stay positive. We know it's not easy - we all struggle with the feelings, too. But be thankful that you caught it so early! 

    Okay - sidebar. YOU'RE A SONOGRAPHER WHO WAS SCANNING HERSELF JUST FOR FUN? I've never heard of that before and that's AWESOME. Now I'm totally imagining you watching your boys in-utero just because you could. "What're we doing tonight? Netflix... or watch our future progeny kick it inside the utero?" LOL. 

    Anyways, fingers crossed for you and your urologist visit. Let us know how things go. You're gonna do great - you've got this!

    Thank you for your kind words

    Thank you for your kind words! I think what scares me the most is that while it is small, it grew so quickly. It wasn't there 5 months ago! I'm afraid this means it is more aggressive & can spread ? I'm trying to stay positive but it's so difficult. I see a urologist the 26th. I'm just so nervous! 

  • Biner
    Biner Member Posts: 137 Member
    #7
    LindseyChristine said:

    Thank you for your kind words

    Thank you for your kind words! I think what scares me the most is that while it is small, it grew so quickly. It wasn't there 5 months ago! I'm afraid this means it is more aggressive & can spread ? I'm trying to stay positive but it's so difficult. I see a urologist the 26th. I'm just so nervous! 

    US scan very unformative with

    US scan very unformative with masses,all depends how old US scanner.Also US scan cant see alot, CT with contrast gold standart for kidney problems.

    My first scan showed cyst,but it was tumor with cyst component,after almost 1.5 year it growed with 1.2 cm only,kidney masses slow growing 

    4 cm in few months unbelieveble grow

    Again calm down right now,nobody said it cancer 100%!I saw lot people with small masses who was diagnosed with benigh after surgery.CT cant diagnose cancer only morphologic analysis after surgery

  • stub1969
    stub1969 Member Posts: 978 Member
    edited August 2021 #8
    One thing at a time.

    Hi, Lindsey, and welcome.

    This is one of those things in life that will knock you on your a**.   These feelings you have are completely normal.  Give yourself a little time to come to terms with the possibility that you may have cancer.  This may take some time, but once you've come to terms with it, then it's time to dig in and look for the best ways to cure this. Since you're in the medical field and probably know some things about kidney tumors.  If you do, then you know that the size of the tumor you have is very treatable through surgery.  Odds are very much in your favor that once it's taken out you will not have any issues with it again.  That's really good news and should be some comfort to you.

    I know the next few days until your appointment with the urologist will be very difficult.  The waiting game will play havoc on your mind and your thoughts.  Try your best to stay optimistic, focusing on the positive. 

    Keep us updated as you travel through this process.  We're here to answer questions and give you support.

    Take care--Stub

     

  • LindseyChristine
    LindseyChristine Member Posts: 16 Member
    #9
    stub1969 said:

    One thing at a time.

    Hi, Lindsey, and welcome.

    This is one of those things in life that will knock you on your a**.   These feelings you have are completely normal.  Give yourself a little time to come to terms with the possibility that you may have cancer.  This may take some time, but once you've come to terms with it, then it's time to dig in and look for the best ways to cure this. Since you're in the medical field and probably know some things about kidney tumors.  If you do, then you know that the size of the tumor you have is very treatable through surgery.  Odds are very much in your favor that once it's taken out you will not have any issues with it again.  That's really good news and should be some comfort to you.

    I know the next few days until your appointment with the urologist will be very difficult.  The waiting game will play havoc on your mind and your thoughts.  Try your best to stay optimistic, focusing on the positive. 

    Keep us updated as you travel through this process.  We're here to answer questions and give you support.

    Take care--Stub

     

    Thank you, Stub!! Your words

    Thank you, Stub!! Your words are very reassuring. I think the waiting and the "what-ifs" are the scariest. I read your story and so happy to see your outcome! I pray mine is similar!! Again, thank you for the kind words.!

  • Tobi
    Tobi Member Posts: 63 Member
    #10
    Hi LindseyChristine and I

    Hi LindseyChristine and I just would like to say I was recently in the exact position you are in now. I have a 4cm mass found in a CT that was looking at my gallbladder. I understand the anxious sort of panic that will overwhelm you with what ifs. I have found that after my MRI and speaking to my surgeon that I have calmed considerably. I have surgery on Aug 30th to remove my kidney and my Urologist said in many cases like mine the surgery is curative. So while waiting to see the Urologist take some time to read the bios of people on this forum, it helped me more than I can put into words. Reading their outcomes with a similar situation will hopefully help you in the way it has helped me.

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #11
    A number of years earlier--------

    we had an US instructure find  her own mass. Self help is sometimes just lucky. It woulf of taken yeard to get the CT earlier. You are lucky. It is small and with what you gave us, the prognosis excellent. Welcome to the club.

     

     

     

     

     

    icemantoo

  • misterace
    misterace Member Posts: 37 Member
    #12
    Blessings in disguise

    I was 33 at diagnosis (34 now) and also found my tumor incidentally. Thankful I found it when I did. Assuming your growth is even RCC (there's always a chance it isn't), you caught it super early, and prognosis at stage 1a of living a cancer free life post-op is incredibly good. 

    My 2 cents: Don't be afraid to get a few opinions about how to proceed (ie, feel free to interview different uro-oncologists) and surround yourself with people that love and support you to get you though this difficult time.

    It's a big shock to be blind-sided like this, but you can and will get through this. :)

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