Wilms' Tumor: The Facts

What is it?

Wilms' Tumor is a childhood cancer that develops in the kidneys. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs in the abdomen, whose primary job is to filter extra water, salt, and waste from the blood. What is left after filtration, called urine, passes from each kidney to the bladder through a long tube called a ureter. Sometimes the cells that are supposed to mature do not, rather, they stay like the early kidney cells. Bunches of these early kidney cells are still there when the baby is born. Most of the time these cells mature by the time a child is three or four. But these early kidney cells may start to grow out of control and form a jumbled mixture of small cells that don't mature as they are supposed to. This mass is called a Wilms' tumor.

Who Gets It?

Wilms' tumor is the most common type of kidney cancer in children. Between 400 and 500 new cases of Wilms' tumors are found each year in this country. Wilms' tumor occurs most often in the first five years of life. It is also more common among African Americans and among girls. Most of the risk factors for Wilms' tumor cannot be controlled; they include:

• Birth defects
  
• Family history
  

Symptoms

Wilms' tumors can be hard to find early. They sometimes grow quite large without causing any pain. Children may look healthy and seem normal. The first sign is usually a large lump in the belly. Chances are parents will notice the tumor. They may feel a swelling or hard mass in the child's belly. Symptoms may include, though not limited to:

Stomach Pain	Blood in Urine
Constipation	High Blood Pressure
Fever	Loss of Appetite
Nausea/Vomiting	Weight Loss
Malaise	Anemia

All of these symptoms do not necessarily mean that your child has Wilms' Tumor, or any other type of cancer, but s/he should be examined by a doctor as they may indicate a number of other health problems that require treatment.

How are they Detected?

Most Wilms' tumors are caught before they have spread to other organs; however, they are often found only after they have grown quite large. Also, Wilms' tumors usually form only in one kidney, but in a small number of cases they can form in both. A physician will gather information to determine if a child has Wilms' Tumor through:

• Family History
  
• Physical Exam
  
• Blood and Urine Tests
  
• Various Scans including CT (Computerized Tomography) scans, MRI (Magnet Resonance Imaging), Ultrasound, X-Rays, IVP (intravenous pyelogram), and Bone Scans to show how and where a tumor has grown.
  

Are they Curable?

The overall survival rate for children with Wilms' tumor is about 92%. With treatment, the disease has a high cure rate. Children with a localized tumor have a 90% cure rate when treated with surgery and chemotherapy; or surgery, radiation.

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