Hi Everyone,
My dad has two tumors in his solitary kidney which did not change for 17 years. Unfortunately, his annual ultrasound in June showed that one of the tumors in the right, interpolar, anterior area doubled in size. The ultra sound showed it at 6.4 X 4.9 X 5.1 in June and now in September said that it was unchanged. However, the doctor ordered an MRI for the first time in a few years and the MRI now in September shows that it's actually 7.7 X 5.7. I don't know what the MRI would have showed in June because in comparing ultrasound to ultrasound June - September it says unchanged but the MRI is actually showing it larger. The surgeon who is old school and not quick to suggest surgery says that we got 17 years of quality life and if my dad is asymptomatic that at 83 years old he wants to just see him in 4 months. He said that if my dad was 52 or 62 he would suggest surgery. He said that he has a 96% success rate normally of just getting the tumor out and saving the kidney function but with my dad he feels it would be 90% but still feels that at 83 years old, even if he had a successful surgery, that he would risk being put on dialysis and his quality of life would go down. I was surprised he didn't make dialysis sound great at all and said 50% of people survive on it and that dialysis is worse that cancer itself sometimes. His lungs are clear and the cancer has not traveled. I have found this community to be so supportive and informative and I'm wondering what you think about the doctors plan. We thought we were looking at surgery 17 years ago and I was so nervous about my dads prognosis. I appreciate that the doctor wasn't quick to suggest surgery and put him at risk because we had 17 years but now I want to make sure we are making the best decision and also exploring all options. The doctor said that he will not lie to us and that when he saw this results in his inbox, he was not thrilled about them and he shares out apprehension. He also said that something seems to have ignited this tumor and he compared it to the storms in Florida. Again, I wasn't thrilled about this but he said it is probably clear cell carcinoma. I asked about cryotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, etc. and the doctor said no that any of that would destroy the kidney function. He did share his screen and said that there is a lot of healthy kidney there. What are your thoughts? Does my dad have any other options in shrinking this tumor? Would he ever be eligible for a kidney transplant and to be put on a donor list? What are your thoughts on the surgeons plan? My dad feels good overall but his energy level isn't what it was a year ago and the doctor said it is probably both the kidney but also being 83. He is a vibrant 83 year old and for someone who has four older siblings in their late 80's and early 90's, I just want to make sure I am leaving no stone unturned and trying to make the best decision. By the way, his creatinine is 1.5 and his GFR is 46.
Thank you all in advance.