by D. Vogt

Created on: August 31, 2010

Wilms' tumor is a rare childhood form of kidney cancer also known as nephroblastoma. Only about five in a million American children will be diagnosed with Wilms' tumor each year, mostly around age 3, but 10% of those children will die within five years of their diagnosis. For this reason, as with all cancers, it is important to catch the disease and begin treatment as early as possible. 

Unfortunately, Wilms' tumor is still not fully understood by medical researchers, and its precise causes are not known - although it is known that birth defects such as a missing iris, or urinary tract defects, are associated with an increased risk of developing this cancer later in childhood.

According to the National Institutes of Health, there are several symptoms and warning signs of Wilms' tumor. These include abdominal pain, fever, hypertension (high blood pressure), reduced appetite, nausea or vomiting, constipation, and a detectable mass in the abdominal area. However, such symptoms may also result from other (and less deadly) conditions - and when they are caused by Wilms' tumor, they often arise only after the cancer is relatively advanced and has begun to spread, or metastasize, to other sites around the body.

Nevertheless, according to the Mayo Clinic, there are several early symptoms of Wilms' tumor which you should consider bringing to your doctor. These include an abnormal colour to the urine, including dark or bloody urine, as well as a detectable mass or growth in the abdominal area. Most cases arise at 3-4 years old; while the disease can occur in older children, it grows progressively less likely as the kidney cells susceptible to Wilms' tumor mature to the point that they are no longer susceptible.

If you are concerned that your child may have symptoms of Wilms' tumor, it is important to remember that this form of cancer is extremely rare. Nevertheless, you should discuss serious concerns with your child's doctor, who at the very least will be able to rule out serious illnesses and point to other causes. The highest survival rate (98% over four years) occurs among stage 1 patients in whom the disease has not yet spread beyond the kidney and can be safely removed through surgery. If your doctor is concerned about Wilms' tumor, he or she may arrange for a biopsy of the suspicious site. Other tests which may be run include an X-ray, ultrasound, blood tests, a CT scan, and urinanalysis (examination of the urine).

- Sources and More Information -

Mayo Clinic. "Wilms' Tumor."

National Institutes of Health. "Wilms Tumor: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia."

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