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myoung790
myoung790 Member Posts: 75
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hi everyone.  I'm new here.  I'm a 40 year old female who just found out that I have a 3.7cm tumor in my right kidney.  I have an appointment next week with a Urologic Oncologist and I will have to have either a parial or complete nephrectomy.  I just wanted to know if anyone has any information about whether or not they will go the complete nephrectomy or just the partial.  The Urologist told me that my situation is complicated since my tumor is inside of my kidney and not on it.   Thanks in advance.

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  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
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    Nepherectomy

    myoung,

     

    Whether it is a partial or full neph. is up to the surgeon and it sometimes is a game day decision.

     

    The good news is that at 3.7cm your prognosis for a full and complete recovery from the surgery alone is excellent. Mine was 12 years ago (BIP) before I-phones. At that time they were not doing partials.  You will be fine.

     

    Icemantoo

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #3
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    icemantoo said:

    Nepherectomy

    myoung,

     

    Whether it is a partial or full neph. is up to the surgeon and it sometimes is a game day decision.

     

    The good news is that at 3.7cm your prognosis for a full and complete recovery from the surgery alone is excellent. Mine was 12 years ago (BIP) before I-phones. At that time they were not doing partials.  You will be fine.

     

    Icemantoo

    Partial nephrectomies are

    Partial nephrectomies are always more complicated than full so make sure you seek out the best possible surgeon who has expertise with partial ones. Mine specializes in them so I was fortunate that I was able to have one. I did have to sign on the consent form that partials can turn into full nephrectomies during surgery. But definitely get second or even third opinions before undergoing a full nephrectomy.  

  • cjhawk38
    cjhawk38 Member Posts: 44
    #4
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    Welcome to the club

    Even if your doctor tells you it will be a partial one of the things they tell you is that it may turn into a complete nephrectomy depending what they find. You also want to find out if it is going to be an open surgery or laparoscopic and if it will be done robotic. I had a partial robotic surgery done in Orlando a Dr Phillips hospital in March 2013. If you post where you live maybe someone has had surgery there.

    Cindy

  • rlivingston59
    rlivingston59 Member Posts: 2
    #5
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    Your story is similar to

    Your story is similar to mine.....3.8cm mass on right kidney confirmed this week. Surgeon is doing radical instead of partial since my tumor sits right in the middle of the kidney. There would be a piece of the top and a piece of the bottom left over if he did a partial.  So in my case the decision was based on location as well as size. Surgeon will be using the robotic equipment but was very clear that there is always a risk that the robotic could turn into an open if circumstances warrant. Best of luck to you.

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    #6
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    rlivingston59 said:

    Your story is similar to

    Your story is similar to mine.....3.8cm mass on right kidney confirmed this week. Surgeon is doing radical instead of partial since my tumor sits right in the middle of the kidney. There would be a piece of the top and a piece of the bottom left over if he did a partial.  So in my case the decision was based on location as well as size. Surgeon will be using the robotic equipment but was very clear that there is always a risk that the robotic could turn into an open if circumstances warrant. Best of luck to you.

    I agree with AP.. especially

    I agree with AP.. especially since you are so young.  If you can find a surgeon competent and confident to do a partial, then you would save  lot of Kidney function.

    Good Luck..!!

    Ron

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
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    Hi myoung790,  I was told the

    Hi myoung790,  I was told the same thing by the first doctor I saw.  My tumor was perihilar near the veins going into my kidney. I wanted a second opinion and went to a urologist oncologist at sloan Kettering.  He was able to do a partial nephrectomy and preserve 95%  of my kidney. He told me my situation was worse than it showed on the scans as my tumor was ON the vein/artery.  I had to fight my health insurance company when they said I could not have my surgery done out of state, but I ultimately got their OK.  I am glad that I did.  APNy and I went to the same doctor.  I found my doctor when I read the American Urological Association Guidelines on renal masses.  You can read them here:

    https://www.auanet.org/education/guidelines/renal-mass.cfm

     

  • myoung790
    myoung790 Member Posts: 75
    #8
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    Positive_Mental_Attitude said:

    Hi myoung790,  I was told the

    Hi myoung790,  I was told the same thing by the first doctor I saw.  My tumor was perihilar near the veins going into my kidney. I wanted a second opinion and went to a urologist oncologist at sloan Kettering.  He was able to do a partial nephrectomy and preserve 95%  of my kidney. He told me my situation was worse than it showed on the scans as my tumor was ON the vein/artery.  I had to fight my health insurance company when they said I could not have my surgery done out of state, but I ultimately got their OK.  I am glad that I did.  APNy and I went to the same doctor.  I found my doctor when I read the American Urological Association Guidelines on renal masses.  You can read them here:

    https://www.auanet.org/education/guidelines/renal-mass.cfm

     

    Thanks everyone.  We meet

    Thanks everyone.  We meet with the kidney oncologist this Wednesday and I already have a list of questions.  We spoke with a Urologist last week and he referred us to a specialist.  This is still very surreal to me.  No symptoms and boom cancer.  Anyway, was just wondering if anyone had insight.  Thank you all.

  • myoung790
    myoung790 Member Posts: 75
    #9
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    myoung790 said:

    Thanks everyone.  We meet

    Thanks everyone.  We meet with the kidney oncologist this Wednesday and I already have a list of questions.  We spoke with a Urologist last week and he referred us to a specialist.  This is still very surreal to me.  No symptoms and boom cancer.  Anyway, was just wondering if anyone had insight.  Thank you all.

    Oh and I'm in Baltimore.

    Oh and I'm in Baltimore.  Hopkins is not an option for me although I know of Dr. Hammers.

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