A Veteran's Shocking Cancer Diagnosis
- Just a month after getting married, Aaron Perez and his new wife Chastity received the shock of their life: he was diagnosed with stage 4 renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer.
- After experiencing head pain, Perez was told the cancer had spread to his brain, but he’s kept a positive attitude that he says is thanks to Chastity and his community of wrestling friends.
- There are some signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for that could indicate kidney cancer. They include blood in the urine, a lump in the abdomen, persistent side pain, loss of appetite, mysterious weight loss and anemia.
The veteran had enough on his plate as it was. Just over a month after getting married to his wife Chastity, he had received the shocking news that he had stage 4 renal cell carcinoma. According to the National Cancer Institute, the disease occurs when cancerous cells form in the tubules of the kidneys tiny tubes whose job it is to send nutrients and fluids back into the body after being filtered from the blood.
About Kidney Cancer
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- Abusing some pain medications for an extended period of time
- Being overweight
- High blood pressure
- A family history of the disease
- Some genetic conditions, including von Hippel-Lindau disease
There are several signs to keep an eye out for to stop renal cell cancer, although in the early stages, they made not yet be present. Those signs include:
- Blood in the urine
- A lump in the abdomen
- Persistent side pain
- Loss of appetite
- Mysterious weight loss
- Anemia
There are several treatment options for kidney cancer as advanced as Perez’s. In some cases, doctors might recommend surgery to reduce the size of the tumor or even remove the entire kidney. There are a variety of drugs that might be prescribed.
A Couple’s Resiliency
While Perez was battling this form of kidney cancer, it turned out that head pain was a sign the cancer had spread.
"I've had two brain tumors," Perez told WCPO Cincinnati. "We've had spots in my lungs and liver, lymph nodes, they took out my kidney… We were in the canyon lands hiking and then a month later, I can’t stand up."
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A spokesperson for Christ Hospital said in a statement sent to WCPO that Perez had gone to a different hospital for severe vomiting and trouble breathing.
After a COVID-19 test and chest X-ray, he was sent home. That’s when Perez went to Christ Hospital to get a second opinion.
“After ordering a CT scan, the Christ Hospital ER doctor suspected a brain tumor and, subsequently, found a spot on the scan ‘the width of a paperclip,'” the release said. “He proceeded to send his patient for more tests, which eventually confirmed the cancer that started in his kidney had progressed to his brain.”
While Perez’s cancer is not curable, his doctors have been amazed at his resiliency.
"I can’t imagine what he is going through, and we try to do our best, but there are some people who just surprise you," said Perez’s radiation oncologist, Dr. Christopher Freese. "It’s amazing how they can inspire you to think yourself about how positive and tough they can be."
For his part, Perez said Chastity’s love and the friends he’s made as an avid wrestler have kept him going.
“I just kind of feel like every day is the day," he said. "I just try to encourage my family and my friends to whatever it is, win it … because for me, I don't know what tomorrow is going to be.”
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