Hi ginger, I did get an appointment for wed June 19th yesterday afternoon.. they did say I need to get in as soon as possible so I took the appointment.. please keep chatting with me.. this is all new.... do they not have patient advocates to help this transition for new patients?
@rx2rich Good for you for getting that appointment! You may go through a period of anxiety, like so many of us do, when we get scans and x-rays, etc. Try not to prethink what is going on. The doctors will tell you.
If there is not someone who has stepped up at the practice to assist you, ask! It could be a patient advocate, like you said, or a social worker. You may be seen by a urologist or nephrologist. Make sure you understand who will be following your case. Write down questions ahead of time so you don't forget what you need to know, and if possible, take a trusted friend or family member along so you have a second set of eyes/ears. Sometimes we are listening and processing conversation, and miss the next thing said!
Please let me know how your appointment goes on the 19th!
Ginger
@rx2rich Before you have that CAT scan, I would ask to make sure your eGFR is at a good level. Contrast material can be hard to clear from the kidneys when our function is lowered [usually anything from 30 or lower should be careful for contrast scans].
Since the initial MRI was not for the kidneys, I hope you are able to get that appointment sooner than later. Ask them to be placed on a cancellation list; that might speed the response. Call and ask what the hold up is to getting an appointment!
Ginger
Hi ginger, I did get an appointment for wed June 19th yesterday afternoon.. they did say I need to get in as soon as possible so I took the appointment.. please keep chatting with me.. this is all new.... do they not have patient advocates to help this transition for new patients?
Yes I had a mri I April to determine why I have neuropathy in my legs and feet. They discovered, per the report, at least a 7.5 mass on right kidney. Highly suspected renal cell carcinoma.. so I have been put in for a cat scan with contrast. But haven't gotten that yet either. Nor a dr appointment.. I'm frustrated but I have not gotten any response 😒
@rx2rich Before you have that CAT scan, I would ask to make sure your eGFR is at a good level. Contrast material can be hard to clear from the kidneys when our function is lowered [usually anything from 30 or lower should be careful for contrast scans].
Since the initial MRI was not for the kidneys, I hope you are able to get that appointment sooner than later. Ask them to be placed on a cancellation list; that might speed the response. Call and ask what the hold up is to getting an appointment!
Ginger
You mentioned you haven't seen a doctor yet. How was your carcinoma discovered? There are several options available for treatment. Most likely listening to the oncologist and their thoughts will help you make decisions in the near future.
When is your appointment to see the doctor?
Ginger
Yes I had a mri I April to determine why I have neuropathy in my legs and feet. They discovered, per the report, at least a 7.5 mass on right kidney. Highly suspected renal cell carcinoma.. so I have been put in for a cat scan with contrast. But haven't gotten that yet either. Nor a dr appointment.. I'm frustrated but I have not gotten any response 😒
You mentioned you haven't seen a doctor yet. How was your carcinoma discovered? There are several options available for treatment. Most likely listening to the oncologist and their thoughts will help you make decisions in the near future.
When is your appointment to see the doctor?
Ginger
@deebee41, I understand your treatment choice of cryoablation in light of your chronic kidney disease. Unfortunately, having one cancer doesn't automatically mean you get a pass on other cancers. @dsh33782 knows this well too. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer after esophageal cancer and then thyroid cancer.
Deebee
After surviving esophageal cancer, then kidney caner, and then thyroid cancer, I feel blessed to now be cancer free. Of course I keep getting scans and checkups for a while. The second and third were found on scans intially just to check on the esophageal cancer. I did not have surgery for the EC, just radiation and chemo, but I did have surgery for the kidney and throid surgery. Let me know if I can answer and questions.
Don
Not metastatic. Just one of 4 cancers I am dealing with. Cryo was my choice. The other doctors wanted complete removal. I have stage 3 Chronic kidney disease and the removal of one kidney would have hastened my journey to dialysis. Other cancers are prostate, skin and breast. Breast is scheduled for surgery soon.
@deebee41, I understand your treatment choice of cryoablation in light of your chronic kidney disease. Unfortunately, having one cancer doesn't automatically mean you get a pass on other cancers. @dsh33782 knows this well too. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer after esophageal cancer and then thyroid cancer.
@deebee41, I just read your post in the prostate cancer group. Is kidney cancer a second primary cancer or was the mass related to metastatic prostate cancer? Was cryoablation the only treatment required at the moment?
Not metastatic. Just one of 4 cancers I am dealing with. Cryo was my choice. The other doctors wanted complete removal. I have stage 3 Chronic kidney disease and the removal of one kidney would have hastened my journey to dialysis. Other cancers are prostate, skin and breast. Breast is scheduled for surgery soon.
I had cryoablation done in March of this year. It was a 6 cm. spherical shaped mass on the lower lobe of left kidney. They wanted to do a full kidney removal but I asked for a 2nd opinion using cryo. They at first poo-pooed the idea but I finally got the consult and the cryo people said it could be done. The doctor said he had done similar sized tumors before so it was a go. Total procedure took about an hour using 4 probes. There was about 2 hour prep time ( injections etc. ) before and then just local anaethesia. Recovery time was spent lying down and taking short walks. They checked for blood in urine twice and was released 4 hours after the procedure
@deebee41, I just read your post in the prostate cancer group. Is kidney cancer a second primary cancer or was the mass related to metastatic prostate cancer? Was cryoablation the only treatment required at the moment?
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@rx2rich Good for you for getting that appointment! You may go through a period of anxiety, like so many of us do, when we get scans and x-rays, etc. Try not to prethink what is going on. The doctors will tell you.
If there is not someone who has stepped up at the practice to assist you, ask! It could be a patient advocate, like you said, or a social worker. You may be seen by a urologist or nephrologist. Make sure you understand who will be following your case. Write down questions ahead of time so you don't forget what you need to know, and if possible, take a trusted friend or family member along so you have a second set of eyes/ears. Sometimes we are listening and processing conversation, and miss the next thing said!
Please let me know how your appointment goes on the 19th!
Ginger
Hi ginger, I did get an appointment for wed June 19th yesterday afternoon.. they did say I need to get in as soon as possible so I took the appointment.. please keep chatting with me.. this is all new.... do they not have patient advocates to help this transition for new patients?
@rx2rich Before you have that CAT scan, I would ask to make sure your eGFR is at a good level. Contrast material can be hard to clear from the kidneys when our function is lowered [usually anything from 30 or lower should be careful for contrast scans].
Since the initial MRI was not for the kidneys, I hope you are able to get that appointment sooner than later. Ask them to be placed on a cancellation list; that might speed the response. Call and ask what the hold up is to getting an appointment!
Ginger
Yes I had a mri I April to determine why I have neuropathy in my legs and feet. They discovered, per the report, at least a 7.5 mass on right kidney. Highly suspected renal cell carcinoma.. so I have been put in for a cat scan with contrast. But haven't gotten that yet either. Nor a dr appointment.. I'm frustrated but I have not gotten any response 😒
@rx2rich Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
You mentioned you haven't seen a doctor yet. How was your carcinoma discovered? There are several options available for treatment. Most likely listening to the oncologist and their thoughts will help you make decisions in the near future.
When is your appointment to see the doctor?
Ginger
I just found out I have rcc.. but haven't seen a dr yet... what can I expect on every thing.
Deebee
After surviving esophageal cancer, then kidney caner, and then thyroid cancer, I feel blessed to now be cancer free. Of course I keep getting scans and checkups for a while. The second and third were found on scans intially just to check on the esophageal cancer. I did not have surgery for the EC, just radiation and chemo, but I did have surgery for the kidney and throid surgery. Let me know if I can answer and questions.
Don
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1 Reaction@deebee41, I understand your treatment choice of cryoablation in light of your chronic kidney disease. Unfortunately, having one cancer doesn't automatically mean you get a pass on other cancers. @dsh33782 knows this well too. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer after esophageal cancer and then thyroid cancer.
Deebee, you may wish to connect with other men with breast cancer experience in these related discussions in the breast cancer support group:
- Male breast cancer: Anyone other men out there with breast cancer?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mens-breast-cancer/
See all male breast cancer discussions https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/breast-cancer/?search=men&index=discussions
Will you require any further treatment for kidney cancer?
Not metastatic. Just one of 4 cancers I am dealing with. Cryo was my choice. The other doctors wanted complete removal. I have stage 3 Chronic kidney disease and the removal of one kidney would have hastened my journey to dialysis. Other cancers are prostate, skin and breast. Breast is scheduled for surgery soon.
@deebee41, I just read your post in the prostate cancer group. Is kidney cancer a second primary cancer or was the mass related to metastatic prostate cancer? Was cryoablation the only treatment required at the moment?