My husband's nephew who is 21 years old was just diagnosed with Kidney cancer. I could not believe some one so young could get this although he does smoke 3 packs of cigarettes a day.
His surgery took about 6 hours and he had a terrible very large incision. The surgeon said he thinks he got all of the cancer and had to remove part of the kidney. We are still waiting for the pathology to come back to confirm that this cancer was contained and completely removed. I was surprised to find out that kidney cancer typically moves very slowely. Do you know any thing about Kidney Cancer and are there questions we should be asking his doctor for the follow up care.
Thanks,
Anne
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My mother first had kidney cancer and a full kidney removed 16 years ago. Three years ago cancer returned in her other kidney and they performed a partial nephrectomy. In both cases the cancer was "encapsulated." Today she announced they want to send her for a pet scan of her adrenal glands, as they are noticing a size difference between the two. What could this mean?
December 19, 2009 - 5:48pmThis Comment
Anon,
Your adrenal glands are two small glands, one on top of each kidney. They regulate many of the hormones our bodies use every day. And there are a lot of conditions that can involve the adrenal glands, depending on your mom's other symptoms. But with your mom's history, I would suspect that they want to rule out the possibility of an adrenal gland tumor in the larger gland. If they have determined that one gland is larger than the other, they'd like to know the reason why.
Here's a very good page on adrenal gland disorders:
http://urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=02&topic=30&x=15&y=15
It sounds like the doctors stay right on top of your mother's condition, which is wonderful. Was this found during an ordinary checkup, or does she have some other symptoms as well?
December 21, 2009 - 10:05amThis Comment
Hi Anne - It's always a shock when a young person develops cancer. We'd like to think they're invincible. Unfortunately cancer strikes young people every single day. Your husband's nephew needs your support, so thank you for contacting us for information.
Kidney cancer is a disease in which cancer cells grow in the kidneys. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, located just above the waist, on each side of the spine. Their main function is to filter the blood and produce urine by which the body rids itself of waste products and excess water.
Cancer occurs when cells in the body (in this case kidney cells) divide without control or order. Normally, cells divide in a regulated manner. If cells keep dividing uncontrollably when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms, called a growth or tumor. The term cancer refers to malignant tumors, which can invade nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor does not invade or spread.
There are two main types of kidney cancer: Wilms' tumor , which occurs predominantly in children, and renal cell carcinoma in adults. The cells that line the ureter may also give rise to transitional cell cancer, and the connective tissues of the kidney may produce sarcomas, which are rare.
Once kidney cancer is found, staging tests are performed to find out if the cancer has spread and, if so, to what extent. Treatment depends on the stage.
Surgery is the most important component of any curative approach to kidney cancer. There is some information suggesting immunotherapies (interleukin or interferon) may be of some benefit. Radiation can be used to treat kidney cancer that has spread to the lung, bones, or brain, but is not considered curative.
Surgery involves the removal of a cancerous tumor, nearby tissue, and possibly nearby lymph nodes. Surgeries to treat kidney cancer include:
* Radical nephrectomy —removal of the entire kidney, adrenal gland, and nearby fatty tissue and lymph nodes
* Partial nephrectomy—removal of the cancerous part of the kidney only, used to treat smaller tumors that have not spread locally.
* Removal of metastases—removal of cancerous tissue that has spread to other parts of the body, particularly when causing symptoms
After surgery, radiation therapy may be used. This is the use of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Chemotherapy may also be used. This is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be given in many forms including: pill, injection, and via a catheter. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through the body killing mostly cancer cells, but also some healthy cells.
In some cases, immunotherapy is used. This procedure is the use of drugs like interleukin-2 and interferon to help the immune system to better fight and destroy cancer cells.
There are many good organizations that can help you and your husband's nephew. These resources include the following:
American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org
American Urological Association Foundation
http://www.afud.org
The Kidney Cancer Association
http://www.nkca.org
As you learn more about this young man's situation you will likely have more questions. Please let us know how we can help, and keep us posted on his condition and recovery. We wish both of you all the best in the days ahead.
December 3, 2009 - 6:52pmTake good care,
Pat
This Comment
Yes. Ask if the surgery was considered a "radical nephrectomy". If so, did they also remove his adrenal gland like they are supposed to in this procedure? I lost one kidney to cancer four years ago and they did not remove my adrenal gland though they billed my insurance company for a radical nephrectomy. Now I have kidney cancer in my lungs and both adrenal glands (I should only have one adrenal gland left!!!!!) and it is considered inoperable and terminal. Please be sure that he receives proper follow-up care, to include a new CT-scan every three months to be certain there is no new cancer. They told me they had removed the cancer by removing the kidney with the cancer "incapsulated" within the kidney, that I only had a 10% chance of ever having any form of cancer in my body again in my lifetime, and that no chemo or radiation was necessary as follow-up. Now, four years later, I am dying of kidney cancer and they send my case to a second opinion board who conclude that the pathologist at that time "mis-judged the Fuhrman rating of my cancer" and it should have been followed up with chemo and radiation. Be sure he gets proper follow-up care and if anything doesn't seem right, speak up as soon as possible. It's too late for me, but it didn't have to be, if only we had known to seek a second opinion when the oncologist declared that no follow-up was needed. Good luck to your nephew and may God bless.
December 2, 2009 - 8:16pmThis Comment