What is Wilms tumor?
Also called nephroblastoma, Wilms tumor is a cancerous tumor on one or both kidneys. It is the most common form of childhood kidney cancer, although it is totally unrelated to adult kidney cancer.
The kidney develops while the baby is still in the womb. Some kidney cells do not differentiate fully into the various types of cells that make up a mature kidney. Generally by the time a child is three or four years old, all cells have properly matured. Wilms tumor is a result of a mass of wildly growing primitive small cells.
Typically, Wilms' tumors are one mass in one kidney but sometimes they can be found in both. Usually Wilms' tumors are not diagnosed until they have become quite large and most are found before they metastasize.
Symptoms include abdominal swelling and/or pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, fever of unknown origin, night sweats, abnormal urine color or blood in the urine, and/or malaise.
If untreated, the disease can spread to other parts of the body.
Here are the statistics for childhood cancer cases:
— Accounts for six to seven percent of childhood cancer cases.
— Usually occurs in children up to age eight, rare in adults.
— Average age of patients with Wilms tumor is two to three.
— Seventy-five percent occur before age five.
— It occurs in about eight in one million children under the age of 14.
— Two to five percent are in both kidneys.
— There is a 90-93 percent of a five-year survival rate.
Signs of childhood cancer
Childhood cancer is rare. However, parents need to be aware of these possible symptoms:
— Continued, unexplained weight loss.
— Headaches, often with early morning vomiting.
— Increased swelling or persistent pain in bones, joints, back, or legs.
— Lump or mass, especially in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis, or armpits.
— Development of excessive bruising, bleeding, or rash.
— Constant infections.
— A whitish color behind the pupil.
— Nausea which persists or vomiting without nausea.
— Constant tiredness or noticeable paleness.
— Eye or vision changes which occur suddenly and persist.
— Recurrent or persistent fevers of unknown origins.
Cancer is second only to accidents as a cause of death in children.
Early detection usually results in a higher survival rate.
