Wilms tumor facts for kids
Wilms' tumor, also called Nephroblastoma, is a type of kidney cancer that mostly affects children. It's good news because most kids who get it do very well. About 90% of them live for more than five years after finding out they have it. This means it has a very good chance of being cured.
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How Doctors Treat Wilms' Tumor
Doctors can usually cure Wilms' tumor. The way they treat it depends on where the tumor is and how big it is.
Surgery to Remove the Tumor
If the tumor is only in one kidney, doctors can remove it. They might take out the whole kidney in a surgery called a nephrectomy. During the operation, the surgeon also checks the other kidney to make sure it's healthy. If there are tumors in both kidneys, the surgeon will remove a part of each tumor.
Medicine to Fight Cancer
After surgery, children often get special medicines called chemotherapy. These medicines help kill any cancer cells that might be left. One common chemotherapy medicine is called Dactinomycin, also known as Cosmegen. Sometimes, doctors use both surgery and chemotherapy to treat Wilms' tumor.
Images for kids
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A close-up view of a Wilms' tumor showing different cell patterns.
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A very close-up view of the tumor's cells.
See also
In Spanish: Tumor de Wilms para niños
