At diagnosis, many parents are confused about how to find the best doctors and treatments for their child. These study groups, composed of pediatric surgeons and oncologists, urologists, radiation oncologists, researchers, and nurses, establish the standard of care for patients worldwide, conduct new studies to discover better therapies or fine tune old ones, and establish follow-up for survivors. If the treatment center you are referred to is a member of one of these groups, you can rest assured that your child will have access to the best thinking on the treatment of pediatric cancers. The doctor will choose the best treatment or clinical trial based on many factors, including your child's age, stage of disease, and size and histology of the tumor. For most patients, treatment is surgery followed by chemotherapy.
Some children also require radiation.
Surgery Children diagnosed with Wilms tumor usually have a surgical procedure, called a nephrectomy, performed before any other therapy is initiated. Occasionally, if the diagnosis is questionable, a biopsy will be performed prior to nephrectomy. In North America, only children with bilateral Wilms tumor receive chemotherapy prior to surgery. Removal of the tumor as well as the entire kidney and ureter. The remaining kidney is able to compensate for the loss.