Appointments & care

At Mayo Clinic, we take the time to listen, to find answers and to provide you the best care.

Mayo Clinic in Minnesota has been recognized as one of the top Cancer hospitals in the nation for 2014-2015 by U.S. News & World Report.

Wilms' tumor is a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children. Also known as nephroblastoma, Wilms' tumor is the most common cancer of the kidneys in children. Wilms' tumor most often affects children ages 3 to 4 and becomes much less common after age 5.

Wilms' tumor most often occurs in just one kidney, though it can sometimes be found in both kidneys at the same time.

Improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of Wilms' tumor have improved the prognosis for children with this disease. The outlook for most children with Wilms' tumor is very good.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Wilms' tumor doesn't always cause signs and symptoms. Children with Wilms' tumor may appear healthy, or they may experience:

• Abdominal swelling
• An abdominal mass you can feel
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Blood in the urine

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your child's doctor if you notice any signs or symptoms that worry you. The signs and symptoms associated with Wilms' tumor aren't specific to the condition and are much more likely to be caused by something else.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

It's not clear what causes Wilms' tumor.

Doctors know that cancer begins when cells develop errors in their DNA. The errors allow the cells to grow and divide uncontrollably and to go on living when other cells would die. The accumulating cells form a tumor. In Wilms' tumor, this process occurs in the kidney cells.

In a small number of cases, the errors in DNA that lead to Wilms' tumor are passed from parents to children. In most cases, there is no known connection between parents and children that may lead to cancer.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Appointments & care

At Mayo Clinic, we take the time to listen, to find answers and to provide you the best care.

To diagnose Wilms' tumor, your child's doctor may recommend:

• A physical examination. The doctor will look for possible signs of Wilms' tumor.
• Blood and urine tests. Blood tests can't detect Wilms' tumor, but they can provide your child's doctor with an overall assessment of your child's health.
• Imaging tests. Imaging tests that create images of your child's kidneys can help your doctor determine whether your child has a kidney tumor. Imaging tests may include ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Surgery. If your child has a kidney tumor, your doctor may recommend removing the tumor or the entire kidney to determine if the tumor is cancerous. The removed tissue is analyzed in a laboratory to determine whether cancer is present and what types of cells are involved. This surgery may also serve as treatment for Wilms' tumor.

Staging

Once your child's doctor has diagnosed Wilms' tumor, he or she works to determine the extent (stage) of the cancer. Your child's doctor may recommend a chest X-ray, chest CT scan and bone scan to determine whether the cancer has spread beyond the kidneys.

The doctor assigns your child's cancer a stage, which helps determine the treatment options. The stages of Wilms' tumor are:

• Stage I. The cancer is found only in one kidney and generally can be completely removed with surgery.
• Stage II. The cancer has spread to the tissues and structures near the affected kidney, such as fat or blood vessels, but it can still be completely removed by surgery.
• Stage III. The cancer has spread beyond the kidney area to nearby lymph nodes or other structures within the abdomen, and it may not be completely removed by surgery.
• Stage IV. The cancer has spread to distant structures, such as the lungs, liver, bones or brain.
• Stage V. Cancer cells are found in both kidneys.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Wilms' tumor can't be prevented by anything you or your child can do.

If your child has signs and symptoms that increase the risk of Wilms' tumor, your child's doctor may recommend periodic kidney ultrasounds to look for kidney abnormalities. While this screening can't prevent Wilms' tumor, it may help detect the disease at an early stage, when treatment is most likely to be successful.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Here are some suggestions to help you guide your family through cancer treatment:

• Bring a favorite toy or book to office or clinic visits, to keep your child occupied while waiting.
• Stay with your child during a test or treatment, if possible. Use words that he or she will understand to describe what will happen.
• Include time for play in your child's schedule. Play can be a useful outlet in the hospital. Major hospitals usually have a playroom for children undergoing treatment. Often playroom staff members are part of the treatment team and have training in child development, recreation, psychology or social work. If your child must remain in his or her room, a recreational therapist or child-life worker may be available to make a bedside visit.
• Monitor your child's energy level outside of the hospital. If he or she feels well enough, gently encourage participation in regular activities. At times your child will seem tired or listless, particularly after chemotherapy or radiation, so make time for adequate rest, too.
• Keep a daily record of your child's condition at home — body temperature, energy level, sleeping patterns, drugs administered and any side effects. Share this information with your child's doctor.
• Plan a normal diet unless your child's doctor suggests otherwise. Prepare favorite foods when possible. If your child is undergoing chemotherapy, his or her appetite may dwindle. Make sure fluid intake increases to counter the decrease in solid food intake.
• Encourage good oral hygiene for your child. A mouth rinse can be helpful for sores or areas that are bleeding. Use lip balm or petroleum jelly to soothe cracked lips. Ideally, your child should have necessary dental care before treatment begins. Afterward check with your child's doctor before scheduling visits to the dentist.
• Check with the doctor before any vaccinations, because cancer treatment affects the immune system.
• Be prepared to talk with your other children about the illness. Tell them about changes they might see in their sibling, such as hair loss and flagging energy.
• Ask for support from clinic or hospital staff members. Seek out organizations for parents of children with cancer. Parents that have already been through this can provide encouragement and hope, as well as practical advice, such as what foods a nauseated child may find palatable. Ask your child's doctor about local support groups.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Factors that may increase the risk of Wilms' tumor include:

• Being black. Black children have a slightly higher risk of developing Wilms' tumor than do children of other races. Children of Asian descent appear to have a lower risk than do children of other races.
• Having a family history of Wilms' tumor. If someone in your child's family has had Wilms' tumor, then your child has an increased risk of developing the disease.

Wilms' tumor occurs more frequently in children with certain abnormalities present at birth, including:

• Aniridia. In this condition the iris — the colored portion of the eye — forms only partially or not at all.
• Hemihypertrophy. A condition that occurs when one side of the body is noticeably larger than the other side.
• Undescended testicles. One or both testicles fail to descend into the scrotum (cryptorchidism).
• Hypospadias. The urinary (urethral) opening is not at the tip of the penis, but is on the underside.

Wilms' tumor can occur as part of rare syndromes, including:

• WAGR syndrome. This syndrome includes Wilms' tumor, aniridia, abnormalities of the genitals and urinary system, and mental retardation.
• Denys-Drash syndrome. This syndrome includes Wilms' tumor, kidney disease and male pseudohermaphroditism, in which a boy is born with testicles but may exhibit female characteristics.
• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Signs of this syndrome include abdominal organs that protrude into the base of the umbilical cord, a large tongue (macroglossia) and enlarged internal organs.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com