Kidney Tumor

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val1963
val1963 Member Posts: 27
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hi,

I just found out I have approximately a 2 in growth in the center of my left kidney.    This site has helped me release myself from the fear and take action. Thank you!

The urologist that I was referred to was not very informative,  I'm wondering if any of you have suggestions about what type of questions to ask.   I have not seen the ct scan or mri results of the enemy inside me but have asked my family doc to walk throught it with me.   Because my wonderful son sent me this link, I also requested a chest xray but are there other places I should ask to have tested before having surgery?   Surgery is scheduled for June 5th.  I have a second opinion appt scheduled for next week.  What else should I do or know?     Thank you very much!!!

 

 

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  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 307
    #2
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    Questions to ask

    Tumor location inside the kidney

    Location related to the major veins

    Calcification

    Others will probably add more...

    /G

     

  • NanoSecond
    NanoSecond Member Posts: 653
    #3
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    A Full Body Nuclear Bone Scan

    Should be requested to make sure there are no bone mets.

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 307
    #4
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    Additionally

    Ask about any lymph node abnormalities observed on the scans.

    Why the MR btw? (Maybe its just standard in the US. Where Im from its only done if theres suspicion of spreading beyond the torso).

  • val1963
    val1963 Member Posts: 27
    #5
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    Galrim said:

    Additionally

    Ask about any lymph node abnormalities observed on the scans.

    Why the MR btw? (Maybe its just standard in the US. Where Im from its only done if theres suspicion of spreading beyond the torso).

    Thank you so much for the

    Thank you so much for the feedback!    The MRI was done because I went to my family doc looking for answers regarding back pain, muscle spasms and numbness radiating down my left leg and foot.  He wanted to rule out disc problems.  Needless to say,  we took a wrong turn from  me thinking I would be starting physical therapy to hey, we want your kidney!    Yikes!!     Anyway, the docs don't think the sypmtoms are related but the reasons I went to the doc have been back burnered for a bit.      

  • val1963
    val1963 Member Posts: 27
    #6
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    NanoSecond said:

    A Full Body Nuclear Bone Scan

    Should be requested to make sure there are no bone mets.

    is this the same as a PET

    is this the same as a PET scan and can I ask my family doctor to order this or do I need to ask the surgeon? Or do I need to find a surgeon that is more proactive because mine has scheduled surgery but no additinal tests?

  • NanoSecond
    NanoSecond Member Posts: 653
    #7
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    val1963 said:

    is this the same as a PET

    is this the same as a PET scan and can I ask my family doctor to order this or do I need to ask the surgeon? Or do I need to find a surgeon that is more proactive because mine has scheduled surgery but no additinal tests?

    PET scan vs. Full body nuclear bone scan

    They are two different kinds of scans.

    A Full Body Nuclear Bone Scan is a nuclear imaging test that helps diagnose and track several types of bone disease using tiny amounts of radioactive materials called tracers (radionuclides). These tracers accumulate in certain organs and tissues, such as bones. Once introduced into the body, tracers emit a type of radiation called gamma waves, which are detected by a special camera. This camera produces images that are interpreted by the radiologists.  This test only looks at the skeleton.

    PET scans, on the other hand, are designed to look at soft tissue and organs.

    In a PET scan a radioactive medicine is first tagged to a natural chemical - usually glucose, water, or ammonia. This tagged natural chemical is known as a radiotracer. This radiotracer is then inserted into the body.

     

    Inside the body the radiotracer then goes to those areas that normally utilize that natural chemical. For example, FDG (F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose - a radioactive drug) is first tagged to glucose to make it into a radiotracer. The glucose then goes to those parts of the body that use glucose primarily for energy. The FDG can reveal a tumor by revealing those areas that are soaking up abnormally high levels of glucose. Tumors soak up high levels of glucose because aerobic glycolysis (the metabolic process employed by most tumors - the fermentation of glucose) is a very inefficient source of energy as compared to oxidative phosphorylation (the metabolic process of every normal cell - the respiration of oxygen).

    But there are some tumors that do not "run" on glucose for their fuel. For example, 80% of prostate cancers are not especially aggressive, nor are they avid for FDG (glucose). This is also true for most renal cell carcinomas.  They do not soak up large amounts of glucose even though they still do not run "normally" on oxidative phosphorylation.  Instead, these tumors get their primary energy from the fermentation of amino acids. In particular, they first choose the amino acid glutamine for their fuel. This process is known as anaplerosis.  Regardless, this is why a PET scan using glucose as its radiotracer is generally inappropriate when dealing with RCC.

  • MDCinSC
    MDCinSC Member Posts: 574
    #8
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    val1963 said:

    Thank you so much for the

    Thank you so much for the feedback!    The MRI was done because I went to my family doc looking for answers regarding back pain, muscle spasms and numbness radiating down my left leg and foot.  He wanted to rule out disc problems.  Needless to say,  we took a wrong turn from  me thinking I would be starting physical therapy to hey, we want your kidney!    Yikes!!     Anyway, the docs don't think the sypmtoms are related but the reasons I went to the doc have been back burnered for a bit.      

    Yep!

    They found mine looking for a stomach issue!  Talk about a wake-up call!  My stomach doesn't bother me near so much anymore! :) 

     

    Anyway!  Bon Chance!  I'll be keeping you in my thoughts!

     

    Michael

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 307
    #9
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    val1963 said:

    Thank you so much for the

    Thank you so much for the feedback!    The MRI was done because I went to my family doc looking for answers regarding back pain, muscle spasms and numbness radiating down my left leg and foot.  He wanted to rule out disc problems.  Needless to say,  we took a wrong turn from  me thinking I would be starting physical therapy to hey, we want your kidney!    Yikes!!     Anyway, the docs don't think the sypmtoms are related but the reasons I went to the doc have been back burnered for a bit.      

    To summarize

    Basically, if theres no indications of metastases, a CT of the abdomen and lungs should suffice. After surgery the histology will provide a lot better basis for decisions regarding further examinations.

    /G

  • val1963
    val1963 Member Posts: 27
    #10
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    MDCinSC said:

    Yep!

    They found mine looking for a stomach issue!  Talk about a wake-up call!  My stomach doesn't bother me near so much anymore! :) 

     

    Anyway!  Bon Chance!  I'll be keeping you in my thoughts!

     

    Michael

    Wake up call for sure!

    Wake up call for sure!  You'll be in my thoughts as well Michael!  Take Care and keep me updated.

     

    Val 

     

     

  • val1963
    val1963 Member Posts: 27
    #11
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    NanoSecond said:

    PET scan vs. Full body nuclear bone scan

    They are two different kinds of scans.

    A Full Body Nuclear Bone Scan is a nuclear imaging test that helps diagnose and track several types of bone disease using tiny amounts of radioactive materials called tracers (radionuclides). These tracers accumulate in certain organs and tissues, such as bones. Once introduced into the body, tracers emit a type of radiation called gamma waves, which are detected by a special camera. This camera produces images that are interpreted by the radiologists.  This test only looks at the skeleton.

    PET scans, on the other hand, are designed to look at soft tissue and organs.

    In a PET scan a radioactive medicine is first tagged to a natural chemical - usually glucose, water, or ammonia. This tagged natural chemical is known as a radiotracer. This radiotracer is then inserted into the body.

     

    Inside the body the radiotracer then goes to those areas that normally utilize that natural chemical. For example, FDG (F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose - a radioactive drug) is first tagged to glucose to make it into a radiotracer. The glucose then goes to those parts of the body that use glucose primarily for energy. The FDG can reveal a tumor by revealing those areas that are soaking up abnormally high levels of glucose. Tumors soak up high levels of glucose because aerobic glycolysis (the metabolic process employed by most tumors - the fermentation of glucose) is a very inefficient source of energy as compared to oxidative phosphorylation (the metabolic process of every normal cell - the respiration of oxygen).

    But there are some tumors that do not "run" on glucose for their fuel. For example, 80% of prostate cancers are not especially aggressive, nor are they avid for FDG (glucose). This is also true for most renal cell carcinomas.  They do not soak up large amounts of glucose even though they still do not run "normally" on oxidative phosphorylation.  Instead, these tumors get their primary energy from the fermentation of amino acids. In particular, they first choose the amino acid glutamine for their fuel. This process is known as anaplerosis.  Regardless, this is why a PET scan using glucose as its radiotracer is generally inappropriate when dealing with RCC.

    WOW!   Thanks for the

    WOW!   Thanks for the information/explanation Nano,  wish you were my in house advocate :)

    I had my 3rd opinion on Friday and he said almost verbatim what the first doc said.   Surgery is June 5th.

    Take care!   val

  • val1963
    val1963 Member Posts: 27
    #12
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    I just wanted to thank

    I just wanted to thank everyone for all of the support and education.  I wrote down all of the questions that were suggested and went over them with my doc.   I had a third opinion on Friday.  Diagnosis is the same, I'm scheudled for surgery June 5th.      

     

    Thank you everyone and talk soon!  Val

  • NanoSecond
    NanoSecond Member Posts: 653
    #13
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    val1963 said:

    WOW!   Thanks for the

    WOW!   Thanks for the information/explanation Nano,  wish you were my in house advocate :)

    I had my 3rd opinion on Friday and he said almost verbatim what the first doc said.   Surgery is June 5th.

    Take care!   val

    Surgery

    Happy to be of help whenever I can be Val.

    No doubt you are likely worried about your upcoming surgery. But you are now amongst folks who have been through it all - and are here to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

    Hang in there.

    Best wishes,

     

    -NanoSecond (Neil)

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