Treatments for Wilms tumour

A child diagnosed with Wilms tumour will have a treatment plan created just for them by their healthcare team. The plan is based on your childʼs health and specific information about the cancer. When deciding which treatments to offer for Wilms tumour, the healthcare team will consider:

• the type of Wilms tumour (whether it has a favourable or anaplastic histology)
• the stage of Wilms tumour
• your child’s age
• your child’s overall health
• chromosome changes
• the risk that the cancer will come back after it has been treated (recur)
• if there is cancer in one or both kidneys
• if your child has an inherited condition associated with Wilms tumour, such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome or WAGR syndrome
• whether the cancer is newly diagnosed or has recurred

There are 2 main ways to treat Wilms tumour. In Canada and the United States, most children are treated according to the National Wilms Tumor Study (NWTS) and Children’s Oncology Group (COG) protocols. NWTS and COG usually recommend surgery as the first treatment. In Europe and other parts of the world, most children are treated according to the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) protocols. SIOP usually recommends chemotherapy before surgery. The results from these 2 approaches are about the same.

Treatment is given in a pediatric cancer centre. The healthcare team includes several specialists, such as radiologists, pediatric oncologists, pathologists, surgical oncologists, urologists and radiation oncologists. Other support staff are also available, such as child-life specialists, dietitians, physical therapists, social workers, fertility specialists and counsellors.

Find out more about your childʼs healthcare team, helping your child cope and tips on managing your childʼs care.