Kidney “lesion”

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Kidney “lesion”

This topic has 2 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 8 months ago by sister of patient.

Post

- October 10, 2017 at 5:45 pm
- Quote
brewgirl68
Participant
Good afternoon, everyone –

I'm 32 months NED after IIIc, right axillary lymph nodes, no known primary. I had a CLND, no adjuvant treatment (nothing was available except for interferon – no thanks). No symptoms since then – I've continued to feel good!

I've been on 6 month scans since surgery, with yesterday being the last one before we go to yearly scans. Good news: the end result of the report is NED. Slightly worrisome news: a small "lesion" on my right kidney that is "incompletely characterized". From the report: Stable 10 mm hypoattenuating cystic lesion in the midpole the right kidney, likely representing a cyst although incompletely characterized. No hydronephrosis.

So…I know there is a correlation between melanoma and renal cancer, but I'm not jumping to the conclusion that this is cancer. As the report says, it is "likely" a cyst – but then again, it's not FOR SURE a cyst. And without further investigation of this lesion, how can the report end with "IMPRESSION: No evidence of recurrent or metastatic disease in the chest, abdomen or pelvis"?

Does anyone here have experience with this situation?

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Replies

- - October 10, 2017 at 5:53 pm
  - Quote
  brewgirl68
  Participant
  Edit to add that no previous scans have mentioned anything about lesions, so I assume this is new within 6 months.
- - October 10, 2017 at 11:08 pm
  - Quote
  sister of patient
  Participant
  Hi Brewgirl – Congrats on 32 mos. – I love reading all things NED 🙂 My sister had what was deemed to be cysts on both kidneys throughout treatment. Initially, they were referred to as lesions because she had such a high tumour load it was difficult to distinguish what was mel, what wasn't. But everything that was mel responded (shrank or disappeared) and these remained the same scan to scan until earlier this year when the onc absolutely declared them to be cysts. She also mentioned that standard line about "if 100 people were scanned, likely 50% or more would show lesions/cysts on kidneys, liver, lungs .." As of last scan, one is has all but disappeared, the other is still unchanged.
  
  For sure I hope this is the case for you and your cyst is nothing to worry about. Best wishes!!
  
  Barb

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