Diagnosed with a kidney tumor in December, U.S. Olympic ice dancer, Maia Shiboutani, 23, underwent emergency surgery and soon learned that her tumor was cancerous. Now Shiboutani — who with her brother, Alex, is half of the beloved Shib-sibs ice dance team – has returned to the gym. And, like many in the cancer community who suddenly find the disease is their “new normal”, she’s re-defining what recovery means after a cancer diagnosis.
Read MoreCancer Changed Who I Am
Cancer changes everything, as Shiboutani acknowledges. “The past three months have changed who I am,” Shiboutani explains. “I can't change that I had cancer and needed surgery, or that healing is taking longer than I expected. I can't go back, and I've realized that I don't want to.” Just two years ago, Maia and her brother, Alex – two-time U.S. national champions and three-time world medalists – won bronze at the 2018 winter Olympics in South Korea.After surgery, Shiboutani has been slowly regaining her strength. “These days, I am appreciating every second … I've realized to an even greater extent that it's ok to be vulnerable and accept help.”
“There have been really sad and scary times,” she adds, “and I haven't spent the past few months like I originally planned.
Choosing to Heal
After her surgery in late December 2019, Shiboutani shared details of her diagnosis: “I got my pathology report back – the tumor that was successfully removed on Saturday was unfortunately malignant (cancer). (SDH)-deficient renal cell carcinoma,” she wrote on Instagram. “This wasn't the news I was hoping for, but I am beyond thankful that it was detected early and that my surgery went well. No further treatment is required at this time – the next steps are for me to continue focusing on recovering and healing. All of the positive thoughts and support mean so much to me. My heart is so full.”
Now, she tells followers, “Because the tumor on my kidney was found and removed, I'm choosing to believe that the time that was "lost" is time that I'm being given. Choosing to heal, take care of myself, and be patient is a worthy use of time. Right now, I'm choosing to be present, grateful, and commit myself to learning, growing, and getting stronger.”
Information and Treatment Options for Kidney Cancer
Kidney and renal cell pelvic cancers can develop in adults or children, and represent about 4.2 percent of all new cancer cases per year in the U.S. — about 73,820 new cases last year. The five-year survival rate for kidney and renal pelvis cancer is about 74.5 percent. These cancers account for about 2.4 percent of cancer deaths in the U.S. There are two main types of kidney cancer that occur in adults: renal cell cancer and transitional cell cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Renal cell cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in tubules of the kidney. Smoking and misuse of certain pain medicines can affect the risk of renal cell cancer — although this isn’t the case with an Olympic athlete like Shiboutni. Signs of renal cell cancer include blood in the urine and a lump in the abdomen. Other signs of the disease may include pain in the side that doesn't go away, loss of appetite, weight loss for no known reason, and anemia.
Treatment for renal cell kidney cancer usually includes some combination surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
For renal cell cancer, surgery is a common treatment practice. Types of surgery include:
- Partial nephrectomy, a procedure to remove the cancer within the kidney and some of the tissue around it. A partial nephrectomy may be done to prevent loss of kidney function when the other kidney is damaged or has already been removed.
- Simple nephrectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the kidney only.
- Radical nephrectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the kidney, the adrenal gland, surrounding tissue, and, usually, nearby lymph nodes
Transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the renal pelvis and ureter. A personal history of bladder cancer and smoking can affect the risk of transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter. Signs and symptoms of transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter include blood in the urine and back pain.
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