WILMS TUMOUR 

Edited by, SNEHA MAVIS

Wilms' tumour or nephroblastoma is one of the most common cancers that begins in the kidney and usually affects children. This tumour mostly affects children aged 3 to 4 Years old, and it gets less prevalent after that. 90% of cases occur before 6 years of age. Wilms tumour is the fifth most common tumour in children, accounting for 5 to 6% of all cancer cases.

SYMPTOMS:

Normally occurs as a painless abdominal mass that is often detected incidentally by the mother while giving the child a bath. Next, the most common symptom is stomach pain. Approximately one-fourth of individuals may have blood in their urine or high blood pressure, which normally disappears with adequate tumour treatment.

Metastasis is found in the minority of cases at the time of diagnosis, however, if it does occur, the lungs are the most prevalent site of involvement, followed by the liver.

CAUSES:

Wilms tumor, like most childhood cancers, is not linked to specific environmental risk factors. However, an underlying genetic condition that predisposes  to Wilms tumour may exist in 10-15% of Wilms' tumour cases. For example, WAGR syndrome (30% risk of Wilms' tumour), Denys-Drash syndrome (>90% risk), Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (5% risk).

TREATMENT: 

Surgery and a combination of chemotherapy are required in all patients. Even if the tumour is entirely removed after surgery, chemotherapy is still required to get a complete cure. The number of chemotherapy drugs used and the duration of treatment are determined by the stage of the cancer.

SURVIVAL:

It is one of the paediatric cancers with extremely high cure rates of 80-90%.When treated completely as directed by the paediatric hemato-oncologist. Cure rates can be as high as 70% even in advanced stages of the disease.