CANCER IN ONLY KIDNEY: HOW NMRRC HELPED PATIENT AVOID LIFELONG DIALYSIS

On one of the January days of 2025, a 70-year-old patient from the Orenburg region was admitted to the oncourology department of P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute – branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of the “National Medical Research Radiological Centre” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Her diagnosis could have been a life sentence: cancer in her only kidney. For many patients, this condition would mean lifelong hemodialysis – a procedure performed at least three times a week to artificially cleanse the blood of toxins and excess fluids. However, her case took a different turn.

During a routine check-up, Galina Nikolaevna discovered a tumor in her only kidney. She immediately turned to the Orenburg Oncology Dispensary, where doctors, considering her age and the tumor’s difficult location, recommended open surgery with complete kidney removal. But Galina Nikolaevna was not ready for such a radical approach – her only kidney was her chance at a full life.

The only place that could help in this complex situation was a federal medical center. That’s how Galina Nikolaevna ended up at the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute. «They immediately agreed to take on my case, she recalls, I underwent a comprehensive examination and was prepared for surgery. I knew that all of this was crucial for my condition».

The 16-mm tumor was embedded within the kidney parenchyma, requiring highly precise surgical techniques. The surgical team was led by department head Alexey Krasheninnikov, with the patient’s attending physician, oncologist-urologist Fidan Samedli, assisting. «Thanks to intraoperative ultrasound, we were able to accurately localize the tumor and remove it within healthy tissue. The procedure, performed laparoscopically, lasted only an hour, with minimal blood loss of just 50 ml, » noted Dr. Fidan Samedli.

As promised by the doctors, Galina Nikolaevna felt well just two days after surgery. By the fifth day, she was discharged home to continue her recovery.

On the day of her discharge, she couldn’t hold back her gratitude: «The doctors here are kind, attentive, and always available. Dr. Samedli assured me from the beginning that everything would be fine – and she was right!»