Renal Cell Cancer

Poobah · New User Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 3

I was diagnosed in early July with RCC and had my right kidney removed. Based on my early scans my doctors thought that I was going to be a CAT II. When the pathology report came back, it turned out that I am a IIIa.

Yesterday I found out that three small spots on my lower left lung were probably cancerous. A biopsy on the largest (9mm) didn't show any malignancy, but my pulmonary doctor says that there were some "atypical" cells that can be found with RCC.

He is suggesting that because the possible/probable cancer is localized to the one area that I have the lower lobe removed. He will be contacting my other doctors and is to get back with me on Thursday to finalize things.

During my last visit to the cancer doctor, I asked what happens if tumors appear. He said that if there were a few spots we would do surgery, if it was more spread we would use a "new" drug (Sutent?) first and then cut out what ever was left. So, it sounds like he will probably go along with the lung doctor.

Does surgery sound right under the circumstances? I have read a few posts that have suggested using other therapies first and trying to save body parts you might be able to use later. Is there some limit to the number of rounds you can go with a particular medicine? If I use it now, can I not use it later (assuming that it worked the first time)?

I have an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic tomorrow to discuss other options and want to be as informed as possible about my options.

Thank you,

Terry

brainman · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Renal Cell Cancer

Terry, first let me say how sorry I am that you have RCC that has probably metastasized to your lungs. That is a blow to two very important organs.

It sounds like your medical team is proceeding with the standard course of action. They can either start with chemo to try to decrease the size of the cancer and the surgically remove what is left or they can do surgery followed by chemo. Surgery is always the surest way to treat cancers of any kind. If the doctor feels confident about surgically removing the cancer, then you really do need to consider his recommendation. Naturally, there are other things that go into that recommendation and decision... such as your over all health condition.

The only thing that might limit the amount of chemo you receive is the health of your remaining kidney. Chemotherapy can be very hard on your kidney. But, yes, you can have chemotherapy multiple times as long as your body can tolerate it. I have brain cancer and have been on chemotherapy twice... first in 1992-93 and then in 2005.

However, radiation therapy IS different. Each organ can only receive a certain amount of radiation. After that amount is given, no more radiation will be give. That is one of the reasons I opted not to have radiation when I first had cancer. I knew that very likely it would some day recur and I might need radiation more at that point. As it turned out, I was correct.

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Poobah · New User Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 3

I am back from the Cleveland Clinic.

The doctor I saw there, said that he thought that the nodules are mets. While looking at the CT scans he spotted something that may or may not be another met forming in the center of my chest outside my lungs.

We are going wait a month and see what appears on the new CT scan. If nothing changes we will do the surgery, if a new met appears, we will look at other alternatives.

I would recommend the Cleveland Clinic to anyone in driving distance. They see around 500 RCC cases a year and really have it together.

brainman · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:46 pm Post subject: Re: Renal Cell Cancer

Hi Poobah, thanks for the update. Yes, the Cleveland Clinic is very good hospital. I was there twice with friends but one was having cardiac bypass and the other was that a kidney transplant.

There are several lymph nodes down the center of the chest. Did the doctor say it looked like one of them? The alternative to surgery is chemotherapy of some sort if indeed that "something" is a met.

Keep us informed. Glad that you what it there and back safely.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Poobah · New User Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 3

Howdy,

He wasn't clear on the potential met. I asked him to write it down so I could discuss it with my local doctors, but he said that he would call the oncologist directly and discuss it.

The spot had an unfamiliar name, but was an area near the sternum where a there is typically a fatty deposit. I don't think that it was a lymph node as that would have raised an immediate flag.

I met with the local oncologist on Friday morning and the Cleveland Clinic Doctor had called earlier to discuss my visit. Apparently he didn't mention the suspicious spot. The local guy seems to think the other has decided that there was nothing there after all. Of course we are going to follow-up to ensure that is the case.

With everyone in agreement that surgery is the best option, we are headed that way. It will probably be around the 15th of October at the local hospital.

Terry

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