The Results Are In

Final diagnosis, Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. The doctor said the pathology report indicated they got all of it, he was confident that was the case and wants to follow up with me in 6 months. Good news...I guess.

As for the mass on my lung, results of the biopsy shows it is metastatic cancer from the kidney. I also found out there are THREE MASSES, not one as the lung surgeon had previously indicated. One on my right lung and two on the left. The original mass on my right lung is 5 cm by 3.5 cm in size (2 inches by 1.3 inches). The second mass on the left is smaller, 1 cm (0.5 inches). The third is very small, only 3 mm (0.1 inch) in size. Also there is some enlargement of some lymph nodes.  I'm being referred to an oncologist to deal with that. Treatment options will be the oncologist's call, but the kidney surgeon said the probable course will be oral chemotherapy and that surgery would most likely not be considered.

I looked up all the oral chemo drugs for lung cancer I could find and checked them out with my insurance provider. Yes, all but one are covered, but with high co-pays. I'm looking at about $100 per month at least. Hopefully the one that isn't covered won't be prescribed. That one would run almost $3000 a month.

Following up on the A1C results I mentioned in my previous post, the doctor says I did not receive any blood during the operation. The good results were all my own doing. Happy happy joy joy.

I spoke with my father a little while ago about my results and discovered that he has been the victim of the same sort. He had a CT scan done for some blood related problems a little over a year ago, a specialist was wanting to check out his spleen. Nothing was found and he's been taking B12 shots for the blood problems. 

After I told him about my doctors not mentioning a mass for 2 years, he got curious about his CT scan and requested a copy of the report from the hospital. Surprise! The report says there was a small spot on his kidney and followup was recommended. No followup was done, nothing about it was mentioned to him at the time. His family physician has scheduled a CT scan to take another look at the spot.

Take notice folks! Doctors are not infallible. They screw up. If you can get a copy of test results, be sure to get them and read them carefully. You might be surprised at what your doctor doesn't tell you.