What is a Wilm's Tumor?

QUESTION: We are devastated. The daughter of a close friend has been
diagnosed as having a Wilm's tumor. We think this is a fatal disease but do
not wish to discuss it with the parents. Can you give us some information?
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ANSWER: Wilm's tumor is the single most common cancer of the kidney in
children. There are no special symptoms to alert the parents or child,
although a common sign is swelling of the abdomen or a lump that can be felt
in this area. Blood appears in the urine of about 25% of children afflicted
with the disease, but sometimes the quantity of blood is so little as to go
unnoticed. The disease can cause any one or all of the common symptoms of
cancer, weight loss, anemia, fatigue or low grade fever. It takes a good
physical examination to put the doctor on the right track, but usually a
battery of special x-ray tests will be necessary before the diagnosis is made.
But there is some really good news for you. Treatment, which may combine
radiation therapy with anticancer drugs can achieve a long-term disease free
status (the equivalent of a cure) in more than 8 out of 10 young patients, and
there are also newly developed surgical procedures which may now be used in
children and infants that add to the chances of success. While side effects
from these treatments can be expected the successful outcome makes it all
worth while