Positive margin = cancer spread?

KCFighter
KCFighter Member Posts: 50
edited March 2014 in Kidney Cancer #1
I had laparascopic surgery on 3/2/06. I'd decided to go for a total nephrectomy but my surgeon convinced me to let him try for a partial. Bad decision!!! I lost my entire kidney anyway because he got a positive margin. Now, I'm scared to death that letting him cut into the kidney rather than remove entire kidney from the start allowed the opportunity for cells to escape & show up else where down the road. My doc says that won't happen because he remove the entire kidney which he says removed the positive margin. Does anyone know if there is a chance cancer cells could have escaped anyway? Is there a good resource anyone could suggest I go to for some assurance since my doc isn't going to admit he's put me at risk.

Comments

  • nai53
    nai53 Member Posts: 6
    #2
    Congratulations on being cancer free!! I'm sure your doctor will cover the pathology report with you to determine the grade and type of cancer you HAD. Focus on the healing process and thinking like a survivor. You became a survivor when you decided to have the surgery and defeat your cancer.
  • Jet221
    Jet221 Member Posts: 3
    #3
    My dad had his entire kidney removed as well and was told there was no way the cancer spread and he had a very small tumor at that. Six months later for his check-up it was discovered that cells had escaped and spread to his bones. I tell you this so that you know to be careful and always keep on top of doctors. You are your greatest advocate when it comes to getting the best care. Also insist on three month check ups for the first year, not six, because this cancer is so unpredictable at times.
  • dsawyer
    dsawyer Member Posts: 6
    #4
    My husband had a total nephrectomy, the surgeon was confident he got it all. He actually was clean for three years and then kc tumors showed up in his lung. I don't want to frighten you, but after doing my own extensive research, you may be at risk. Kidney cancer is a difficult cancer to treat. Try to keep positive, be your own advocate, take accountability in learning all you can about your illness and the various treatments and don't be afraid to talk to your doctor. If you're not happy with him, go to another. There are several good kidney cancer sites out there for you to explore.
  • nai53
    nai53 Member Posts: 6
    #5
    dsawyer said:

    My husband had a total nephrectomy, the surgeon was confident he got it all. He actually was clean for three years and then kc tumors showed up in his lung. I don't want to frighten you, but after doing my own extensive research, you may be at risk. Kidney cancer is a difficult cancer to treat. Try to keep positive, be your own advocate, take accountability in learning all you can about your illness and the various treatments and don't be afraid to talk to your doctor. If you're not happy with him, go to another. There are several good kidney cancer sites out there for you to explore.

    I agree that you should keep on top of your cancer, but you did not relay what type, grade, and size the initial tumors where at the time of surgery? Second, how old were the patients at the time of presentation? Nobody knows for sure whether spillage plays any role in the recurrence rate of RCC. A total nephrectomy can only guarantee a good success rate if the tumor has not spread to a blood vessel or grow outside the kidney. I have also read that RCC is very unpredictable and can recur or spread years later. For the life of me, I cannot understand how a cancer cell can live in the body alone for years and then mysteriously begin to grow?? Something is wrong with this assumption. I also do not submit to the belief that surgery is a cure, but all the doctors who I have spoken with believe that if you are stage one under 7cm you do not have to go through chemo, radiation, or any other treatment? Why not? If this cancer can re-appear years later then why not kill any remaining cells that COULD be in your body?
  • KCFighter
    KCFighter Member Posts: 50
    #6
    nai53 said:

    I agree that you should keep on top of your cancer, but you did not relay what type, grade, and size the initial tumors where at the time of surgery? Second, how old were the patients at the time of presentation? Nobody knows for sure whether spillage plays any role in the recurrence rate of RCC. A total nephrectomy can only guarantee a good success rate if the tumor has not spread to a blood vessel or grow outside the kidney. I have also read that RCC is very unpredictable and can recur or spread years later. For the life of me, I cannot understand how a cancer cell can live in the body alone for years and then mysteriously begin to grow?? Something is wrong with this assumption. I also do not submit to the belief that surgery is a cure, but all the doctors who I have spoken with believe that if you are stage one under 7cm you do not have to go through chemo, radiation, or any other treatment? Why not? If this cancer can re-appear years later then why not kill any remaining cells that COULD be in your body?

    I am 36 yrs old. Got my pathology report back yesterday. No cancer found any where except the single mass which was 2.5cm. Stage is pT1a, pNX, pMX. No lymph nodes removed or diseased. Fuhrman nuclear grade is 2 of 4.
  • KCFighter
    KCFighter Member Posts: 50
    #7
    nai53 said:

    I agree that you should keep on top of your cancer, but you did not relay what type, grade, and size the initial tumors where at the time of surgery? Second, how old were the patients at the time of presentation? Nobody knows for sure whether spillage plays any role in the recurrence rate of RCC. A total nephrectomy can only guarantee a good success rate if the tumor has not spread to a blood vessel or grow outside the kidney. I have also read that RCC is very unpredictable and can recur or spread years later. For the life of me, I cannot understand how a cancer cell can live in the body alone for years and then mysteriously begin to grow?? Something is wrong with this assumption. I also do not submit to the belief that surgery is a cure, but all the doctors who I have spoken with believe that if you are stage one under 7cm you do not have to go through chemo, radiation, or any other treatment? Why not? If this cancer can re-appear years later then why not kill any remaining cells that COULD be in your body?

    Oh, I forgot to include type. Here is my stats...I'd love to know chances of spread due to cut into positive margin (even though he took entire kidney anyway)
    Type: Invasive RCC, Chromophobe type
    Furhman nuclear grade 2 of 4
    Size: 2.5cm x 2.5cm x 2.5cm
    AJCC/UICC Stage: pT1a, pNX, pMX
  • lyyams
    lyyams Member Posts: 9
    #8
    dsawyer said:

    My husband had a total nephrectomy, the surgeon was confident he got it all. He actually was clean for three years and then kc tumors showed up in his lung. I don't want to frighten you, but after doing my own extensive research, you may be at risk. Kidney cancer is a difficult cancer to treat. Try to keep positive, be your own advocate, take accountability in learning all you can about your illness and the various treatments and don't be afraid to talk to your doctor. If you're not happy with him, go to another. There are several good kidney cancer sites out there for you to explore.

    positive margins
    How is your husband doing? My husband also had his kidney removed...2months ago. The surgeon said he took everything out, but the path report said there was a positive margin. One cancer doctor said no treatment was necessary. After going to a caner center, they recommended chemo. after we insisted on it. haven't started yet. What do you think?
  • stanp
    stanp Member Posts: 1
    #9
    Kidney Cancer
    Hope this helps, My wife had kidney cancer 5 years ago , her right kidney was removed, she was told that being the canceer was contained in the kidney it could not spread. Last month she lost feeling on the left side of her body, she was informed that the cancer had spread to the brain and that she had two tumors in the brain. If you had or have kidney
    cancer make sure you have a complete bone and body scan every year, the normal path of kidney canceer spread is lungs, heart or brain. Had we had had complete body scans done
    instead mere organ scans, I feel sure my wife would bveen much better off.. Hope this helps. Stan
  • KCFighter
    KCFighter Member Posts: 50
    #10
    stanp said:

    Kidney Cancer
    Hope this helps, My wife had kidney cancer 5 years ago , her right kidney was removed, she was told that being the canceer was contained in the kidney it could not spread. Last month she lost feeling on the left side of her body, she was informed that the cancer had spread to the brain and that she had two tumors in the brain. If you had or have kidney
    cancer make sure you have a complete bone and body scan every year, the normal path of kidney canceer spread is lungs, heart or brain. Had we had had complete body scans done
    instead mere organ scans, I feel sure my wife would bveen much better off.. Hope this helps. Stan

    Stan - I'm so sorry to hear
    Stan - I'm so sorry to hear about your wife. It really confirms my fear about the spread of this terrible disease. My brain is the one thing they do not check and I've always wondered about it. I've been having really bad memory problems & always chalk it up to stress. I will discuss this with my doctor at my 4-year check which is coming up on Tuesday.

    Do you mind sharing the sub-type of RCC & size of your wife's original cancer occurrence? This may help as a case to give to my doc to get a brain MRI ordered.
  • amkimball
    amkimball Member Posts: 5
    #11
    KCFighter

    First off, I am wondering how you are doing.  I noticed your last post was in 2010, now being 2013, hope everything is well.  I had, January 2013, a open partial nephrectomy and my stats on the patho report are extremely similar to yours, including the size of the tumor.  I am going back for my 1st 6 month CT scan and I am very nervous, especially after reading these posts!!!!  I wish that my surgeon removed the entire kidney, but he did not recomend it.  Please let me know how you are, would really love to here from you or anyone else...thanks again.

     

     

Discussion Boards