Subject: Kidney Cancer Returns
Date: 02/07/2008
Nine years ago my Dad had his left kidney removed due to kidney cancer. The cancer was confined to the kidney and no additional treatment was recommended. He went to his Urologist faithfully every 6 months then every 12 months for follow up scans. All was clear until his last visit 3 weeks ago. The doctor found a tumor in his remaining kidney along with several cysts. The Urologist stated that the tumor was in his opinion small enough that my Dad's best option was to have Laproscopic Crysurgery, (the tumor is frozen and killed using a laproscope). The Urologist then referred him to a surgeon who performs this procedure. The Surgeon after ckecking my Dad and reviewing his scans informed him that he needed a Partial kidney removal (49%). Is this unusual for a cancer to return in the remaining kidney? My Dad is the type that trusts anyone that has on a white coat and wants the surgery ASAP. Any suggestions on how I can convince him to get a second opinion? I am begging him to let me schedule an appointment for a second opinion at Johns Hopkins. We live in Maryland so the hospital is in our own back yard.