Shooting Pain--Does anyone experience?

My husband has stage 4 kidney cancer in his left kidney with mets to both lungs & the liver.  He started stutent in Jan & only took 2 rounds.  CT scan showed progession.  They switched him to torisol on April 1st.  Scans on July 7th showed shrinkage in all areas but the tumor in the kidney.  The Dr kept him on the torisol since it is working.  Off & on during all this time he has had some back pain.  The last few days he gets what he calls "shooting pains" that start in the left side of his back & moves on to the center of his back.  It woke him up last night & made him stand straight up.  He also complains this pain will then move up to the center  of the middle of his back & his head will begin to hurt.  Has anyone had this experience?  Should I  worry or is this just part of the pain expected with the tumor in the kidney.  The tumor is 14cm which is rather large.  Any advice would be helpful.

Yes.  I have stage 4 in both kidneys with similar mets. I was on 5 cycles of sutent and just recently switched to torisel. During the sutent I had similar pains as you described -- like spasms that moved from either side of my back up the spine into my neck, shoulders and chest. I would have to change position or stand up -- almost like a cramp.   Since my switch to torisel ( 4 weeks ago) I have not had these pains. I am not sure whether Sutent caused them or they were just as a result of the cancer or stress.  I recommend you tell your doctor.

steve