I survived because my dad saved my life. I was 33 at the time and had no health problems, but my dad was having health related issues that his doctors could not figure out. My siblings and I wanted my dad to get a full body scan just to make sure that nothing was out of the ordinary. He did not want to do it.
Once I told him that the scan would include a virtual colonoscapy and how it was performed as opposed to the regular way, he was more receptive. He finally agreed, but only if I had a full body scan at the same time.
It turned out he was fine and that the scan found something in my kidney. I didn’t think anything of it and scheduled another scan with contrast dye thinking it would turn out to be nothing since I had no symptoms at all. That scan found a 2.5 cm enhancing tumor.
Long story short, the first surgery to remove the tumor had positive margins and not wanting to risk it, I flew to the Cleveland Clinic and had the nephrectomy performed by Dr. Novick who was one of if not the top expert in RCC. His death last year was a great loss to those who have or had kidney cancer!!