Kidney Cancer - any medics willing to share some knowledge please?

[MeridasMum]

DM recovered from breast cancer around 3 years ago and has, this week, found that she now has kidney cancer.

She is currently in hospital after a procedure to help a ‘water blockage’ caused by the cancer. Her doctors are, understandably, dealing with the blockage first and not discussing the cancer. She’s had scans and will be given results in ‘a couple of weeks’!! This is frustrating- the information is there; I wish someone would just look at it! Anyway this is not a NHS bashing thread, they have their processes.

This information is for people who might suggest I stop asking these questions on an internet forum and just speak to the doctors. Of course that is what I’ll do; I’m just trying to gain some info to help prepare myself and guide me in my research.

One doc said he was worried as it might be close to her bladder. She ‘didn’t like’ to ask him what he meant by that! My knowledge of anatomy in that area isn’t great but when I look at diagrams, the kidneys seem to be miles away from the bladder. Why would this be an issue?

Also, if the cancer is so advanced that it has caused a blockage (she now has a bag on that side), does that mean it’s pretty advanced?

Could this be metastatic breast cancer after 3 years or is it likely to be primary?

Any knowledgable MNers out there willing to help me please?

They are waiting two weeks for their MDT . The surgeons radiologists and oncologists will piece today the information and made a clinical plan.
the kidney and the bladder are connected by a tube the ureter . That is why they are looking to see if cancer has spread along the tube.
Breast cancers rarely metastasize to kidney so more likely to be a new primary.

Nothing to say this is advanced. The ureter ( urine pipe) from kidney to bladder is small abs easily obstructed.

hope this helps

FIL was diagnosed with it a few years back. He thought he'd got a urine infection as he couldn't pass urine....... by the time he went to his GP, the cancer was extensive and he ended up having a catheter fitted.

We don't know how long he'd ignored symptoms for in total honesty, but he was diagnosed in around April and had passed away by the August. It spread to his lungs very quickly, in spite of the kidney cancer being the primary.

www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/kidney-cancer

My Dad has just been diagnosed with liver cancer, and that's past treatment too. It took around 2 weeks from him having scans to seeing the Oncologist in outpatients, so it was a fairly quick process. I'm so sorry about your Mum, it's like a never ending nightmare when the words cancer are spoken out loud.

Thanks both for your thoughts, obviously from 2 very different places.

I appreciate it 😊

My dad had kidney cancer. He had his kidney removed, which managed to remove the cancer. If it had spread to the bladder or other surrounding organs it would have been harder to treat. As it is, 4 years on he’s still in remission with no noticeable effects of only having 1 kidney.

Fil also had cancer, was actually in the ureter at the very bottom of the right kidney. Can't remember the name of it. They removed the kidney and ureter on that side. They also took a biopsy from the bladder which was clear.

That was 5 years ago this week and for a man that likes to waste his whole pension down the pub and on fags, he's doing remarkably well.

My dad had kidney cancer and had a kidney removed. It had spread to his lungs

However, he lived relatively normally, for a decade, only dying in 2019. So this doesn't have to be some sort of immediate death sentence as there is so much they can do these days. He was holidaying, driving, shopping etc for almost all of those 10 years.

I wish your mum the very best. That's rotten luck after breast cancer but please try and be positive as far as you can. You'll hopefully feel more settled once a treatment plan is in place

Get a notebook.
Write down all your questions and leave spaces for the answers.
This is for whan you get chance to speak to her doctors and nurses. Take a pen and the book. Explain that you have a written list; and need time to have words explained etc. They will very happily explain, give you time to write down the answer etc.

Prepare yourself for the fact that when DM "doesn't like to ask " , its very possible she doesn't want to know. (Now, yet, or ever) .

Many cancer patients are so overwhelmed and terrified they are afraid to ask for any more, worse news than they already have. If that's the case, then try to inform yourself as much as possible so that you can help plan for her future home care etc. And, gradually feed more info to her later if/ when she's ready.

Make max use of the free services and expert trained staff at specialist cancer charity services. Yes, they do support and inform families and carers. MacMillan are excellent IME and have online forums where you can talk to other people in your boat.

It's a lot to take in, facing a parents illness. One day at a time is the way to go.

If it’s a primary kidney cancer, surgery is curative for small masses. Surgery can be more tricky depending on the location of the tumour - if we have to navigate around the ureter, for example, that can be more challenging surgically. A lot will depend on how fit the patient is but robotic surgery is routine for small masses and recovery is quicker. Not sure what the options are if it’s a metastasis from primary breast cancer.

Try and get on a clinical trial.

Agree with making the best use of specialist nurses and charity help.

Thanks again for input.

Interesting re thoughts on clinical trials. Although it's a good thing to do for future sufferers, I always thought they were considered risky and involve many more appointments, tests, etc.

Selfishly, I wasn't keen on my mum taking part in one. I admit it's not my area of expertise

How is your mothers health? Hope she is healing 🙏✨

I've name changed since I started this thread.

Thank you for asking and thinking of me and my lovely mum.

My mum died of a very aggressive urothelial cancer around 9 months after I posted this thread. It was a swift and brutal end and she was brave and strong all the way through.

I am broken without her.

Thanks again