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Summary

Wilms tumor is a rare type of kidney cancer. It causes a tumor on one or both kidneys. It usually affects children, but can happen in adults. Having certain genetic conditions or birth defects can increase the risk of getting it. Children that are at risk should be screened for Wilms tumor every three months until they turn eight.

Symptoms include a lump in the abdomen, blood in the urine, and a fever for no reason. Tests that examine the kidney and blood are used to find the tumor.

Doctors usually diagnose and remove the tumor in surgery. Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiation and biologic therapies. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• General Information about Wilms Tumor and Other Childhood Kidney Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Are Wilms Tumors? (American Cancer Society)
• Wilms Tumor (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

• Signs and Symptoms of Wilms Tumors (American Cancer Society)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Stages of Wilms Tumor (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Tests for Wilms Tumors (American Cancer Society)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Can Wilms Tumors Be Found Early? (American Cancer Society)

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Wilms Tumor and Other Childhood Kidney Cancers (National Cancer Institute)
• Nephrectomy (Kidney Removal) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Wilms Tumor and Other Childhood Kidney Tumors) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Solitary or Single-Functioning Kidney (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• About WAGR Syndrome (National Human Genome Research Institute)
• WAGR syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Wilms tumor: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Wilms Tumor (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Predicting the prognosis of Wilms tumor by peripheral blood cells: a...
• Article: Recruitment and polarization typing of tumor-associated macrophages is associated with tumor...
• Article: Construction of a Wilms tumor risk model based on machine learning...
• Wilms Tumor -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• Choosing a Cancer Doctor (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
• NCI - Designated Cancer Centers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Wilms tumor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish