Nephroblastoma (Wilms Tumor)

Overview


Plain-Language Overview

Nephroblastoma (Wilms Tumor) is a type of kidney cancer that primarily affects children, usually under the age of 5. It develops from immature kidney cells that grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor inside the kidney. This condition mainly impacts the urinary system and can cause a painless swelling or lump in the abdomen. Other common signs include abdominal pain, fever, and sometimes blood in the urine. Early detection is important because the tumor can grow quickly and may spread to other parts of the body, affecting overall health.

Clinical Definition

Nephroblastoma (Wilms Tumor) is a malignant renal neoplasm arising from embryonic kidney precursor cells due to mutations in tumor suppressor genes such as WT1 and WT2. It is the most common primary renal malignancy in children and typically presents as a large, unilateral abdominal mass. Histologically, it is characterized by a triphasic pattern consisting of blastemal, stromal, and epithelial components. The tumor can invade locally and metastasize, most commonly to the lungs. Clinically, it is significant due to its rapid growth and potential for causing renal failure or hypertension from renin secretion. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical for improving survival outcomes.

Clinical Presentation


Diagnostic Workup


Pathophysiology


Treatments


Prevention


Outcome & Complications


Differential Diagnoses


Medical Disclaimer: The content on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you may be experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Always consult a licensed healthcare professional with questions about a medical condition.

Artificial Intelligence Use: Portions of this site’s content were generated or assisted by AI and reviewed by Erik Romano, MD; however, errors or omissions may occur.

Analytics Disclosure: If you allow analytics cookies, Doctogenic uses Google Analytics, Microsoft Application Insights, and Microsoft Clarity to understand site usage, diagnose issues, review heatmaps and session replay recordings, and improve the service on pages where those tools are enabled. Clarity is not enabled on account, purchase, billing, checkout, Stripe-related, or admin pages. You can change this choice through Cookie preferences.

USMLE® is a registered trademark of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Doctogenic and Roscoe & Romano are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the USMLE, FSMB, or NBME. Neither FSMB nor NBME has reviewed or approved this content. "USMLE Step 1" and "USMLE Step 2 CK" are used only to identify the relevant examinations.