Marijan Mihalina’s Patient Story – Kidney Cancer

“I was the first patient to be treated with this method (SBRT) – I would recommend it to everyone”

For Marijan Mihalina, a 65-year-old from the Koprivnica area, one morning changed his daily life for the next several months. After receiving several different medical opinions, facing the possibility of kidney removal, and undergoing numerous diagnostic tests, he finally found help at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Zabok.

Today, nearly a year later, he has returned to his normal life. He is healthy and free of the pain he had greatly feared after treatment. He credits the successful outcome of his journey to timely medical intervention and the expert guidance he received from the physicians at the hospital in Zabok.

Marian spoke openly about the challenges he faced during the first months of his illness, as well as the series of events that ultimately led to the correct diagnosis.

Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your life before the diagnosis – what you did and what your everyday life looked like?

My name is Marijan Mihalina, and I was born on Oct. 25, 1961. I live near Koprivnica, in a village called Gorica, in the Municipality of Rasinja.

I completed primary school in Rasinja, high school in Koprivnica, and part of my education in Varaždin. I am an electrical engineering technician specializing in high-voltage systems, and I spent my entire working life at INA.

Before my diagnosis, I had no health issues. Everything was normal, and my medical check-ups always showed that everything was fine, so I continued working regularly.

What was the first sign or symptom that prompted you to seek medical help?

The first symptom was high blood pressure. I had high blood pressure before, but I was taking medication and everything was well controlled.

One morning, I woke up and decided to measure my blood pressure. That morning, it was 230/130.

I was immediately a little concerned, but I did not feel any symptoms. Nothing — I wasn’t even dizzy. I felt completely normal, just like any other day.

After that, I went to my general practitioner, who immediately referred me for an abdominal ultrasound.

What was the journey like from your first examination with your general practitioner to the moment when the kidney abnormality was discovered?

I went for an ultrasound, and the doctor asked me if I knew that there was something on my kidney. I told her I didn’t know — how would I have known?

She said that there was a mass, but she could not determine exactly what it was, and that I needed to have an abdominal CT scan as soon as possible.

In the meantime, she referred me to a nephrologist with the ultrasound findings. As soon as the nephrologist saw the results, even without any additional examinations, she immediately said that the kidney would have to be removed.

Sometime later, I had the CT scan, and it confirmed that it was a neoplastic process — in other words, a tumor.

What did you initially think when the results showed a suspected abnormality on your kidney?

I immediately told myself that it was not a good sign, that it was most likely a tumor. But I also told myself that I would not give up — that I would fight for my health.

How did the different opinions and recommendations from doctors influence your decision about further treatment?

All of that made things much more difficult for me. My doctor also referred me to a urologist.

He immediately told me that the kidney had to be removed, that we could not wait, and that I would eventually end up on hemodialysis. When he told me that, I stood up and left, and I never went back to him for further advice.

How did you make the decision to seek help at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Zabok?

I also went to Sveta Nedelja for a second opinion. They told me that the tumor had to be removed, but that they could not perform the procedure. The mass was 4 x 5 centimeters in size, and they only treated smaller ones, up to 4 centimeters.

I came home and started thinking: what if I have to undergo surgery? What if I lose my kidney?

I began searching online for other options and found UPMC. I had previously heard about the cancer clinic in Zabok on television, but I did not know that it had already opened.

The next day, I called them and they told me to come in the following day with my medical records for an appointment. When I arrived, I met Dr. Bebek, who later treated me.

As soon as I saw him, I knew I was in good hands. The first thought that came to my mind was: This is going to be resolved.

Dr. Bebek asked me to undergo additional tests, including a new CT scan, an abdominal MRI, and a kidney biopsy. I completed all of them. However, the biopsy was the biggest challenge. No one wanted to perform a kidney biopsy. Everyone told me that the kidney would have to be removed in order to perform the biopsy.

So I called Dr. Bebek and explained that the only thing I could not arrange was the biopsy, and that my general practitioner did not know where it could be done. Within an hour, Dr. Bebek called me back and told me that I could have the biopsy done in Zagreb, at Rebro Hospital.

And that is how the biopsy confirmed that I had clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Can you describe the moment when the kidney cancer diagnosis was confirmed through a biopsy?

I felt completely normal, just like any other day. I did not panic and I was not afraid. I sent the results to Dr. Bebek and a few days later I was contacted and invited for the simulation.

How did you experience SBRT treatment – did you have any fears before starting and what was the process like from your perspective?

I didn't have any fear at all. On the contrary, I looked forward to going there every day.

I could hardly wait to arrive, see those people and put myself in their hands.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an advanced form of radiation treatment that delivers high-dose radiation with pinpoint accuracy. Using image-guided technology, it precisely targets tumors while helping to preserve healthy surrounding tissue. SBRT can often be completed in fewer treatment sessions than conventional radiation therapy. It is also effective for treating tumors located in areas of the body that are difficult to reach with other approaches.

What was most important to you during your treatment – having enough information, receiving treatment quickly, your relationship with the doctors, or something else?

Honestly, all of those things were important to me. But above all, the way the doctors treated me mattered the most.

And I don't mean just the way they treated me, but all their patients. Their empathy, the way they interact with people, and the calm, reassuring manner in which they approach everything – there was never any sense of panic. Everything was explained clearly and patiently.

In the end, I'm grateful that I was computer-literate enough to use the internet and find UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Zabok.

How are you feeling today, one year after the treatment and what do your regular follow-up check-ups show?

My regular check-ups show that everything is fine. Nothing is growing anymore, and everything is normal. My kidneys are functioning well and I feel great.

Not a single day was I "out of action," so to speak. After each treatment session, when I got home from Zabok, I would get on my tractor and carry on with my work as usual. I didn't do anything too physically demanding at first because I was still worried about how things would progress, but my doctor told me to continue living my life the way I always had.

How has your daily life changed since the treatment?

It really hasn't changed at all. If anything, I have more energy than before. You could say that everything has fallen into place for me.

What would you say to other patients who have been diagnosed with kidney cancer and are unsure which treatment option to choose?

I would tell them to do everything they can to get to UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Zabok, if their circumstances allow it. For me, my health comes first. Even if I had only my last cent left and had to sell something to afford the treatment, I would do it. I would always choose to go there.

At the very least, I would encourage them to visit UPMC for a second opinion.

I truly have never experienced the level of empathy and compassion for patients that I experienced there. It was exceptional. I honestly don't know how to describe the way they treated me and cared for me as a patient. They left an outstanding impression on me.

Read the feature article about Mirjan’s journey with kidney cancer published in Večernji (23 July, 2026).