Well Christmas Day ( Birthday as well) didn't go so well.

Have you asked for a biopsy of the tumour? Only then can they tell if it is cancer and what type. What is your age? My kidney tumour was picked up three years ago but they were unable to biopsy it because it was in a difficult place. They monitored it and this summer said it was about 7cm and had reached a lymph node, so I finally agreed to have the operation. I am 83. I had my entire kidney removed 8 weeks ago.

Good luck. 

Thanks for the reply I am 64 years old, did ask what else they could do and Drs just stated they have to wait, but 7mm to 12mm, I am concerned no mention of lymph node. So still confused even more now.

Hope all is going better for you.

I suppose they jumped on my tumour three years ago when it was tiny because of my previous history of cancer (breast cancer on two separate occasions plus a melanoma).  As you have no previous history of cancer, maybe that is why they are just monitoring it, but surely they should do a biopsy. In my humble opinion.

I got sepsis after coming out of hospital so my recovery is very slow now. The GP monitors me with blood tests, but my remaining kidney is not taking on the job of his twin yet, unfortunnately.  

Did they actually say "kidney cancer"? Lesions can be benign or cancerous tumours and until biopsied they can't really know I think. It is very small so I guess they are happy to monitor it for now. I had a large tumour and had my kidney removed a year ago aged 73. You can function absolutely normally on one kidney luckily! Try not to worry too much..easier said than done I know!

Hi Tilly

Thanks for the info

On my letter from Drs it says ' Malignant tumour of kidney ' with a procedure of follow up, ' left renal tumour', I need to alter my initial message above as it should be 4mm not 7mm so an increase in just 3 years of 8mm on the mid pole renal lesion.

As you said though some things are easier said than done 

Ob bad luck... I do hope that once recovered from the sepsis that kidney gets its strength back. I am doing fine on my one now though it took many months to feel better. X

Birkenstockgirl

Sorry to hear of the further complications.

I have had no previous cancer but Father died of prostrate  (he smoked and drank as he was RN) didn't get on well with him but that's another day and story, and Mother died of pancreatic ( non smoker but occasional glass at Christmas ) which spread to other areas, so is it in the ' family' for me ?

In which case I think I would chase it up. It sounds a bit contradictory. How do they know it is malignant without a biopsy..? Waiting til November in limbo seems unacceptable. I found I had to do a lot of asking and emailing and being a "polite nuisance".!

Hi, sorry to hear you have had quite a journey to now with a diagnosis and no active plan. We all have different origin stories but they share commonality in that  an investigation into one thing leads to another. The words I hold on to are professionals reassuring me that kidney cancer grows slowly. Up to 3 cm is the cut of for a partial nephrectomy … true the information is I’m unsure. 
I don’t know if this helpful or not but I was told of my kidney cancer when I was in the hospital for an unrelated condition. Two doctors at the end of the bed saying we need to treat the kidney cancer first - was news to me they thought I knew and advised me to tell my family that day. Which was difficult as one of my adult children was working in another country at the time. Within weeks I had a total nephrectomy and all went well. I was not unwell before hand and after.

I have had a reoccurrence in my right kidney which has been treated differently, through freezing it to kill the cells. So I’m functioning on half a kidney and it’s doing really well and has not impacted on my day to day maybe a little bit of tiredness if I’m being over active. I think you have had some good advice here already. They scariness reduces with information and sharing how you feel with friend and family, you may have been given a named nurse and they are always a good point to chase information on your behalf. 
take good care. 

Thanks, Tilly.  It is only 8 weeks since the operation and 5 weeks since the sepsis.  Kidney function only 29, and today I was told to ring the GP for medicattio to protect my kidney as it is struggling. I have awful vertigo also itching, so get very despondant. Recovery seems a long way away. So you give me hope. xx