My dad has kidney cancer that has spread into his lymph nodes and bones. How long will he live?

He was just diagnosed in July 2007 and has completed 5 weeks of radiation and is taking interferon. My parents have not asked his oncologist for a prognosis.

The onc will not give a prognosis unless asked for it. So I don't believe that your parents are keeping information from you. My mom was diagnosed with Kidney cancer in March of 2007. She has mets to the brain, lung, nodes and possibly her liver. Now we are facing possible bone mets. From all the info that I have been given and researched myself, once kidney cancer has spread, they are given a diagnosis of stage 4. Kidney cancer is a highly aggressive cancer and is difficult to treat. There are only a handful of drugs that have shown some promise in treatment. Interferon is one that I do not about. My mom was on Sutent and showed great promise. Tumors were dying and shrinking all over the place. Unfortunately she was not able to tolerate the drug because it is so strong.

My mom was given a time line of a year from the beginning. Keep in mind that the cancer had already spread to the brain and lungs before any symptoms presented themselves. I hope this helps. Your family will be in my thoughts, let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

I am so sorry. I have gone through losing 2 parents to cancer and I have to say nobody can make that prediction! The doctors can guess but they told my dad that he would live only 3-6 months and he lived for a year. It is up to the big guy upstairs.

I don't know that answer. But unfortunatly his oncologist has given a prognosis. Thats part of their job! You parents must not want to tell you. You need to square things with your parents. Sorry...

My mother-in-law had breast cancer and lived 20 years but then developed bone cancer and only lived 2 years. I don't know about kidney cancer, sorry.

my grandmother has the same as well as stomach and brain cancer. From what I understand, kidney cancer and lymph node cancer are serious but treatable. The problem with cancer is that if the patient doesn't take the radiation or chemo well, then it can spread and cause more issues throughout the body. My grandma just developed the brain cancer a few weeks ago and now they are saying she has less than a month. Her doctors have told the family that other than the brain cancer, the rest of her body is great shape and functioning well, however since they can't do anything for the brain cancer it won't really matter how well the rest of her does.

Good luck and stay strong...

J-

sweety dont think of how much time you all have..make the most of this precious time you have.if you hav'nt got one go and by a video camera and get all your family together sharing love and happiness..remember dad will ALWAYS be with you!!!good luck to you and your precious familyx x

This hits home for me, (npeters response also) because my Mum was diagnosed with kidney cancer in May this year, once it was found it had spread to her liver and lung. It was VERY aggressive. When diagnosed the kidney tumor was 5 cm, mum had 3 tumors in her liver around 3cm, and 'numerous' spots on the lung. Less than 6 weeks later, the kidney tumor was bigger than the kidney itself, one tumor in the liver was 12cm. and the spots on the lungs had doubled in size and multiplied. Kidney is extremely hard to treat as it doesnt respond to chemo and once it is stage 4 it is incurable. I would say if it is in his bones 6 months??? Im not sure what stage he is at??? Can he still walk, eat??? contact me.............. xx