Survival statistics for Wilms tumour

Survival statistics for Wilms tumour are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. These statistics are based on the experience of groups of children and canʼt be used to predict a particular childʼs chances of survival.

There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your childʼs doctor can explain the statistics for Wilms tumour and what they mean for your child.

Overall survival is also called observed survival. Itʼs the percentage of people with a particular cancer who are alive at a certain point in time after their diagnosis. Doctors often use the overall survival when they talk about a prognosis.

The 5-year overall survival for Wilms tumour in children 0 to 14 years of age is 96%. This means that, on average, 96% of children diagnosed with Wilms tumour are expected to live at least 5 years after their diagnosis.

Survival varies with each stage and type of Wilms tumour.

Generally:

• the lower the stage of Wilms tumour at diagnosis, the better the outcome
• Wilms tumour with favourable histology has a better outcome than Wilms tumour with anaplastic (unfavourable) histology
• children under 2 years old at diagnosis have a better outcome than older children

The majority of Canadian children are treated using protocols that are the same as those used in the United States. The outcomes for all of these children are reported together. Children in Canada are very likely to have the same outcome as children in the United States.

Talk to your childʼs doctor about the prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:

• your childʼs health history
• the type of cancer
• the stage
• certain characteristics of the cancer, such as chromosome changes
• the treatments chosen
• how the cancer responds to treatment

Only a doctor familiar with these factors can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.