CancerCompass message board discussion started by Lyndy0629 on 4/10/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,22924,0.htm Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I have worked all my life and within the last 6 months I have become unemployed. I have no health insurance and I have been diagnosed with a solid mass on my kidney.  I can't get the treatment I need because I have no insurance and I know nothing about who to talk to or what to do.  I am scared and I need some who knows what to do.  Is there anyone who knows where I can go or how to get the care I need?  I was diagnosed in December and the mass was 2.3 cm three weeks later I had a repeat CAT scan and it had grown to 2.4. If anyone could help you would be saving my life. Lyndy0629 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT You can contact the American Cancer Society and they can help you. donnalynn Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/10/2008 donnalynn wrote:You can contact the American Cancer Society and they can help you. I talked to someone there and they told me unless I have had my biopsy done that they can't do anything is that true? Lyndy0629 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Join the kidney cancer email support list Kidney-Onc.  A couple of the listmembers have had your problem and will tell you how they got treatment (can depend on where you live, some states are more helpful than others).  See http://cancerguide.org/kofaq/ to join.Contact the Kidney Cancer Association at 800-850-9132 and/or Cancercare at 800-813-HOPE ; they may be able to help.You should know that solid kidney masses are not usually biopsied unless tumors are found outside the kidney as well.  A very high percentage of solid tumors are cancerous, and with needle biopsy, there is a risk of spreading the cancer, and with small tumors such as yours missing the tumor with the needle.  Usually, surgery, preferably a laparoscopic partial nephrectomy  (although a nephrectomy, talking out the whole kidney, is probably less expensive),  for a tumor as small as yours,  is done without a previous biopsy.  You might call the American Cancer Society back and let them know that a biopsy is not indicated for kidney cancer.   You should also know that the difference between 2.3 and 2.4 is just a millimeter--very, very small, and possibly just within the error tolerance of a CAT scan--your tumor may not have changed in size at all.Your tumor is very small; you have some time to find someone who will do the surgery.There is an email support list that deals with medical/legal insurance issues and health care access (see http://www.harp.org/ , scroll to the very bottom of the page, and click on "Click Here to Join the Dialog Listserver."Best of luck to you. Trishpm Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thank you so much for all your help.  You are a godsend.  I really haven't been able to get anywhere and I was getting frustrated and ready to give up. Now at least I have some hope.  Thanks again you don't know how much this means to me. I was feeling like noone cared. Lyndy0629 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/10/2008 donnalynn wrote:You can contact the American Cancer Society and they can help you.I know this is crazy but my name is Donna lynn I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS NEAT Email me any tuime I HAVE CNS LYMPHOMA{ bRAIN cANCER]   I HOPE i HEAR FROM YOU........  lulu5 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Try contacting Journey of Hope if you are in the cleveland, Ohio area.                              Good Luck, Paula sean12 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT You are in a difficult position, but do not give up!  You will probably need to be very assertive to get care, but it can be done.  You might also contact the social services or accounts receivable departments of the hopsital where you might have surgery done, or ask your doctor's staff if they have suggestions about obtaining coverage, perhaps under a government program in your state.Under no circumstances agree to pay full billed price for any hospital service.  Insurance companies routinely pay as low as 20 cents on the dollar for services for insured patients.  People who are not insured should not have to pay the full billed price.  Trishpm Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Who's paying for your CT scans? jreubtet Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/12/2008 jreubtet wrote:Who's paying for your CT scans? I went to the hospital and they ER and they don't require you to pay in advance. I am being billed and have applied for charity care.  If I do get the charity care they will only pay for the hospital bill not the charge for a doctor to do the procedure. Lyndy0629 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT If you cant get treatment, your last ditch attempt for treatment would be to come to the UK and present yourself at one of our large hospitals. They rarely charge foreign nationals especially if you are english speaking. grahamlondon Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Whatever you do, please do it very soon as kidney cancer can be put into remission -- maybe even permanent remission -- if the tumor remains under 4 centemeters.  Anything above that would be a tremendous fight.  My brother is fighting Stage 4 kidney cancer (his tumor was removed in September, 2007 and it was 9 centimeters) and now it's a terrible battle which he may be losing.  If you are anywhere near the Moffett Center in Florida, they are conducting studies on kidney cancer and may accept you as a patient without insurance. Gashenka Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/10/2008 Lyndy0629 wrote:I have worked all my life and within the last 6 months I have become unemployed. I have no health insurance and I have been diagnosed with a solid mass on my kidney.  I can't get the treatment I need because I have no insurance and I know nothing about who to talk to or what to do.  I am scared and I need some who knows what to do.  Is there anyone who knows where I can go or how to get the care I need?  I was diagnosed in December and the mass was 2.3 cm three weeks later I had a repeat CAT scan and it had grown to 2.4. If anyone could help you would be saving my life. Go to cityofhope.org. They can help you. They are located in Arcadia, California. They offer financial assistance. welovedad Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/17/2008 Gashenka wrote:Whatever you do, please do it very soon as kidney cancer can be put into remission -- maybe even permanent remission -- if the tumor remains under 4 centemeters.  Anything above that would be a tremendous fight.  My brother is fighting Stage 4 kidney cancer (his tumor was removed in September, 2007 and it was 9 centimeters) and now it's a terrible battle which he may be losing.  If you are anywhere near the Moffett Center in Florida, they are conducting studies on kidney cancer and may accept you as a patient without insurance. I am in New Jersey but I will still look into that cancer center becuase I have found some places that will pay for your plane fair for treatment.  I am so sorry to hear about your brother and he is in my thoughts and prayers.  Thank you for taking the time to write.                                      Lynda Lyndy0629 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT I'm not sure where you are located but the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD accepts cancer cases and provides care and treatment free of charge. www.nih.gov  TexasLil Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT