Suspected kidney cancer

[boymama82]

I've been having some pain in the right of my abdomen for around 6 months, along with fatigue and generally feeling rubbish. I went to the GP and was referred for an ultrasound which I had on Saturday. Yesterday I had a phone call from the doctor saying there's a 4cm by 2.7cm mass on my right kidney which they suspect is cancer. I'm absolutely floored, I have 2 sons who are 3 and 4 and a wonderful husband.

The next step is an CT scan and I'm on the 2 week cancer pathway so this should happen soon. I have a consultant appt on the 27th of jan which seems an eternity away.

I don't really know why I'm posting, just looking for similar experiences and a handhold I guess?

Hello, I had a 10cm x 6cm tumour on my right ovary ten years ago. It was cancer. I had radical surgery and here I am, still in remission.

A cancer diagnosis makes you feel absolutely dreadful. You think you’re going to die but these days cancer is treatable and isn’t necessarily a death sentence.

There are many organisations out there who can help you. I joined online support groups, I attended Maggies and I had face to face counselling. There is help available so do reach out and get support.

(This is about my liver not kidney but I hope it helps.)
Two masses were found on my liver after a CT Scan.

I had an operation - the first mass was cancerous and was removed (the liver can re-grow) - problem solved.
The second mass was a benign cyst - no problem.

I was then put on Chemotherapy as a 'belt and braces' approach to mop up any other spots that might be present. To be frank the Chemotherapy wasn't very nice (understatement) but it's best to be safe.

I found the Marie Curie nurses very knowledgeable and helpful.

@Lorrdydoowhatevs makes a very good point -
A cancer diagnosis makes you feel absolutely dreadful. You think you’re going to die but these days cancer is treatable and isn’t necessarily a death sentence.

Wait and see what the quack highly skilled consultant says.

Best Wishes - Dan.

Thank you both, I really appreciate you replying. I feel in a very dark place today, my appointment just feels so far far away!

I've no experience but I'll give you a handhold and cross my fingers that it will be the best news possible

My mum was diagnosed with kidney cancer a few days before her 60th birthday. She had a tumour as large as her kidney, but still contained. The kidney was removed with a large margin in a long operation the following week. She had no chemo, though it was an option to join a chemo trial at that point, and has been cancer free for 14 years now. I suspect the chemo is more developed now, and the surgery will have developed too.

I’m so sorry you’re in this position and facing this potential diagnosis. I understand how frightening it is - I am currently having my own 2-week cancer investigations and, having been through mum’s experience and now my own, I can reassure you that this is the worst part - it’s the not knowing bit which is most terrifying. Even if you are diagnosed with cancer, at least at that point you have certainty, and can move on to the ‘so, what do we do?’ part of the process, rather than just having your brain come up with all the worst scenarios it can devise.

Macmillan nurses were amazing during mum’s experience and I’d recommend talking to them if you get a diagnosis and using them to support you through whatever happens next. Good luck, and hope it’s benign.

I'm so sorry that you are going through this. I have no experience of kidney cancer, but do know what it's like to be in the awful situation of not knowing what's happening, having been diagnosed and treated (by surgery) for both bowel and endometrial cancer in the last six months. Once you have a firm diagnosis and a treatment plan in place, most people find that things are easier to cope with, even if it's not wanted you wanted to hear.

I can only echo the poster above who says that these days many cancers are very treatable and cancer is by no means the death sentence it used to be (and many less well-informed people think it still is. There is so much expertise and support for cancer patients these days, I think you just need to trust the medics to do what they do.

I strongly recommend the community forums over on the Macmillan website for meeting people who have been or are currently going through the same as you. Also the factual information on there is reliable and current. Don't trust 'Dr Google', as a lot of the 'info' out there on the internet will be out of date or inaccurate.

Wishing you well - have a virtual hug from me

I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in October 2023 and had my right kidney removed shortly after. The cancer was contained within the kidney so I’m just on regular monitoring via CT scan for the next 5 years. I was 45 with two young children and otherwise healthy. It was a huge shock! There are two FB groups that are fantastic and I recommend you join them : Action Kidney Cancer and Kidney Cancer UK Support Group.

It’s an awful time when you’re not sure what happens next but there is plenty of support out there if you need it. Good luck x

My dad had to have a kidney removed back in the 1950’s when he was 19 (when removal would have been rudimentary at best). He lived extremely well with the one kidney and did everything that a person with two kidney’s did. When he passed away at age 75 it was nothing to do with cancer or the fact he only had one kidney. I am thinking of you and sending you my very best wishes

@Ffsreally24 thanks for sharing this with me. Can I ask how long you were in hospital for for the operation? Was it difficult to recover from?

Just over 24 hours. Was a bit of a shock. I had a robotic nephrectomy. The operation recovery was good for me physically. I was up and about after a week or so. Back driving within a month. I do get tired more easily now and I’m also on meds to control my blood pressure. But, I’ll be honest, the mental health side of it has been more brutal. It all happened so quickly that I don’t think I had chance to really get my head around it all. I’m awaiting scan results (next week) following my latest CT scan back in December. It’s the waiting/unknown that’s been hard for me to deal with.

Hey,

Hope you’re doing ok. I’m going through tests because of pelvic pain and bleeding on urination. I’ve got a CT urogram this week after they found something unusual on a CT last week. It’s just described as “indeterminate changes” and talks about an abnormal lobular kidney and a lesion. Not sure what it all means, just that it needs urgent investigation.

Hope you find out more about treatment soon.

Just wanted to post to say my 83 year old father had a 5cm kidney tumour about 15-20 years ago. He was given a nephrectomy, but no other treatment. No chemotherapy. No radiotherapy.

He's still with us having been completely cured by the surgery.

Hi all, thanks so much for all of your replies and fantastic to hear about ur dad who fully recovered! I saw a consultant last week and he showed me the lesion on the screen. I'm having a partial nephrectomy which is provisionally booked for the 25th or 26th of February. I won't lie I'm finding it incredible difficult knowing it's growing in my body and having to wait but I spoke to a nurse today who said it's very slow growing and not to panic 😊

Have PM'd you

Hi i am glad you at least have a plan for the treatment now. I am in a similar position, 2.4cm lesion on left kidney was picked up in a ultrasound for something else mid-Nov, had a CT scan and then a biopsy 10 days ago. Still waiting for the results but Dr who took biopsy said the lesion was very hard and the sample they got may not have been enough. I'm fully expecting them to say it needs to come out with partial nephrectomy as consultant discussed this with me before the biopsy, but the not knowing is just awful. I know it's devastating but from the far too much goggling I have been doing it sounds like a very straightforward process to remove and even if the recovery takes a while it is generally positive outlook after. Wishing you all the very best for it xx