Symptoms

My dear friend had an ultra sound today and they told her they found a spot on her kidney and have scheduled her for a contrast CT scan.

Her symptoms for months have been abdominal swelling, she looks pregnant.  She has experienced pain around her abdomen.  Needless to say, she is scared to death

Can somone with kidney cancer experience give me any informatiaon?

I am a colon cancer survivor and I don't know how to help her with her concerns.  Since I get this weekly newsletter, I stay informed about my cancer, but not knowledgeable in others.

Replies appreciated

My only symptom was blood in the urine.

I.m sorry, I should have provided you with more information. I think if the carcinoma was outside the kidney, the radiologist would have stated so in the report. The CT scan should tell the urologist if the carcinoma is contained within the kidney. If it close to or outside the pelvis area in the ureter tubes, then a ureteroscopy, with a biopsy, will be done. However, biopsies give false readings, at least 20% of the time. My carcinoma was contained and the right kidney was removed laparoscopically (sp?) with a small cut near my belly button. My prognosis says that there is a 95% that I will be OK in the next five years. My recovery was very fast and I am 71 years old. At this time, there are no meds required. I am scheduled for my first six month scan in August to make sure that the carcinoma has not spread. Hopefully, your friend will have the same good luck, that I experienced.

Hi

I was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer in December 2007. I had secondary tumors on my lungs and bone in my left ankle.

The swelling and pain in my ankle were the main symptoms and I did also have blood in my urine. I did not have any reason to think there was a tumour on my kidney and it was 75mm (3") long when I was diagosed.  

Most of the information I was given by my Oncologist or what I have found since shows that Kidney Cancer is difficult to detect at an early stage because of the lack of symptoms. Most cases like mine are found when looking at other conditions.

Steve