Dad - New to RCC

Here's the story...I am here for help and support and hope I can find both!

My dad was brought into the ER on 9/17/08 @ 9am due to being paralyzed when he woke up. The day before he was constipated and my mom and him went to the ER the night before but was sent home with some over the counter meds to help with the constipation. So...after about 2 hours of being at the ER they did an MRI and saw he had mutliple tumors on his spinal cord. They prepped him for emergency spinal surgery that night (6pm) to help remove most of the tumor and elevatate some of the compression off of the spinal cord. The bioposy showed that the cancer was RCC and came from the kidney. He has a 2cm tumor in his kidney, a 4cm on one of his ribs and about 7 tumors on his spine. So, not only did he learn he had RCC, he also became paralyzed from his breastbone down.

He has been in the hospital since 9/17 and still is. He went through 14 days of radiation. We had a MRI and CT scan done on Monday which we just received the results back today (wed) and it only showed one new tumor in his femur bone (which he had broke in Aug 08 -- we still don't know how that happened - may be due to the cancer??) That tumor is in the bone. Which I guess is good news since it didn't show any other tumors in any other organs!

He is scheduled to begin Sutent on Sat Oct 25 -- am looking for any and all info I can find on this drug. I have done some reseach on the net about this, but am also hoping that I can have some people write me back in regards to the drug as well. We are really scared...as I am sure you were all scared too. My dad is extremely positive and takes the day one day at a time. He has been such an inspiration to everyone!

If you have any advice, please share. Thank you! Has this particular situation happened to anyone else - where it got into the spinal cord?

Yes, I've definitely heard of people where there are mets in the spine, and I'm sure those here with that will respond. I've even heard of those who have had an entire vertebra removed, and a metal cage put in its place! There is a fair amount that can be done, and new treatments are always a possibiity of arriving in time as well, so hang on in there.

You might also find it helpful to ask on another fantastic RCC information site - kidney-onc, which is a mailing list group with a huge amount of collective experience on all aspects of RCC. You can join on http://cancerguide.org/kofaq/

All the very best, Julie

Please take a look at the thread below yours, on Avastin and Nexavar, as the patient there has had spine mets treated, which may be of relevance to you.

Best, Julie

 

On 10/24/2008 JulieUK wrote:

Please take a look at the thread below yours, on Avastin and Nexavar, as the patient there has had spine mets treated, which may be of relevance to you.

Best, Julie

 

My husband was dx in Aug.07. after ct scan and mri it reveled,kidney cancer,adreanal cancer,and tumors on the spine all stage 1V after spine surgery five weeks later the kidney,an adreanal gland was removed the nex step was radition after this he to was put on Sutent. the side effect were mouth sores and a feeling of being tired. He was on the meds. six cycles. We are giving God the glory because now he is in long term remission.Oh I forgot to mention the doctor gave him four to five years to live, I might be wrong but with Gods help and the advancement of medicin MY HUSBAND will be around much longer!!!!!!!!

Our prayers are with you all,

Sidekick

Sidekick - fantastic news! But make sure they keep scanning him, at least twice a year I'd say!  - the watchword with this beast is 'eternal vigilence'.

Best, Julie