Dharamshila Narayana Super Speciality Hospital, East Delhi

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Wilms Tumor

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Wilms Tumor

Wilm’s tumours is a kidney cancer and is one of the most common paediatric cancers. When a kidney is being developed in the fetal stage, some of its cells will become glomeruli that perform the filtration function, while others will become nephrons which are the tubes in the kidney. These cells mature at the age of 3 or 4 years of age. If the normal development does not occur these cells become a mass that grows out of control. The mass is always cancerous and is called a Wims tumour or a nephroblastoma. If the early cells of the kidney do not develop into glomeruli of nephrons, clusters of the immature cells may form in the kidneys when the baby is born. Usually, these cells mature by the time a child is 3 or 4 years old, but some may grow out of control, forming a mass of immature cells. This mass is called a Wilms tumour or a nephroblastoma. It is different from kidney cancer that is found in adults because a Wilms tumour can become malignant which means it can spread to other parts of the body. When the tumour is in both the kidneys it is called bilateral, and when it’s in one kidney it is called unilateral. Sometimes it can start in one kidney and then spread to the other.

Signs & Symptoms of Wilms Tumor?

Before being diagnosed with Wilms tumor, most children do not show any signs of having cancer, and usually act and play normally. Often, a parent discovers a firm, smooth lump in the child's abdomen (belly). It is not uncommon for the mass to grow quite large before it is discovered. In fact, the average Wilms tumor is 1 pound at diagnosis.

Some children also may have:

  • nausea
  • stomach pain
  • high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • blood in the pee
  • loss of appetite
  • a fever

What Causes Wilms Tumor?

Some genetic factors (like birth defect syndromes) can make a child more likely to develop Wilms tumor, including:

A family history or personal history of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (a condition associated with larger-than-normal internal organs)

WAGR (marked by defects of the iris, kidneys, urinary tract, or genitalia)

Denys-Drash syndrome (a defect of the genitalia)

Treating Wilms tumor depends on a few things. Most important are the stage of the cancer at diagnosis, and the condition, or histology , of the cancer cells. Most Wilms tumors have "favorable" histology, meaing they are easier to cure.

doctor

Dr.Megha Saroha

MBBS, MD (Pediatrics), DM (Pediatric Oncology)

Pediatric Oncology