Toms River Couple Overcomes Rare Kidney Cancers with Robotic Surgery

High school sweethearts Colleen and Bryan Schultz have been together since they were 16. The Toms River, NJ couple have two children together and share a lot of history. But they never expected to share a cancer diagnosis. Over a four-year span, both of them faced and recovered from a rare form of kidney cancer.

A Cough Leads to a Rare Discovery

In early 2022, Colleen, an emergency room nurse, had a chronic cough that lasted six months. Specialists treated her for allergies and acid reflux, but nothing worked. Finally, a chest CT scan showed a 7-centimeter mass reaching into her chest cavity. It was a stage 2 tumor on her right kidney.

Colleen, now 46, was diagnosed with papillary type 2 renal cell carcinoma. This is a rare, "non-clear cell" kidney cancer, which means it makes up just 10% to 15% of all kidney cancer cases.

Colleen sought care with Mina M. Fam, M.D., medical director of urologic oncology at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. He removed her right kidney using robotic surgery, and through it all, her husband Bryan, stayed by her side.

"Throughout every doctor’s appointment, scan and difficult day, my husband stood faithfully by my side," Colleen says. "He was my caregiver, my encourager and my greatest source of strength."

After the surgery, Colleen’s chronic cough and high blood pressure went away. Her follow-up scans stayed clear.

Lightning Strikes Twice

Four years later, Bryan, 47, noticed a small amount of blood in his urine. He went in for a CT scan and the results showed a 5-centimeter, stage 1 tumor on his left kidney.

Bryan had chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, another form of non-clear cell kidney cancer.  This type accounts for only 5% of kidney cancer cases.The couple knew exactly who to call.

"When you hear the words 'you have cancer,' you feel like it's an emergency, but it's not. You just have to take it 15 minutes at a time," says Colleen. "Dr. Fam saved my life four years ago, so when Bryan began showing symptoms, we texted him at 6 a.m., and he saw us that same afternoon. Dr. Fam prayed with us before both of our surgeries and has become a part of our family. We trust him completely."

Healing Together Through Robotic Surgery

Switching from caregiver to patient was a heavy experience for Bryan.

"Watching my wife fight cancer showed me how incredibly strong she is, but when you become the patient, you really feel the emotional weight of the diagnosis," Bryan says. "You have to be your own advocate and trust your body. Dr. Fam's expertise and compassionate care put us completely at ease during the scariest moments of our lives. I cannot thank him enough."

Dr. Fam performed a robotic partial nephrectomy to safely remove Bryan's tumor.

"It is statistically extraordinary to see a husband and wife both diagnosed with rare, non-clear cell kidney cancers years apart," says Dr. Fam. "Treating Colleen four years ago and then performing a robotic partial nephrectomy for Bryan recently was a unique, full-circle moment. My goal in treating these uncommon diseases is to use the most advanced, minimally invasive techniques to safely remove the cancer while preserving the patients' kidney function and quality of life."

Back to Enjoying Life

Today, Colleen and Bryan are recovering and enjoying life. They are traveling more and cherishing time with their children. Because kidney cancer can run in families, they are also setting up medical screenings for their kids. They want others to remember to advocate for their health, pay attention to strange symptoms and rely on faith and community.

"While neither of us would have chosen this journey, it has strengthened our marriage in ways we never imagined," Colleen says. "Cancer changed our lives, but it did not define them."

Next Steps & Resources

• Meet our source: Mina M. Fam, M.D. 
• Learn more about kidney cancer care at Hackensack Meridian Health.