Wilm's Tumor:
This is a cancer of the kidney and this is an embryonal tumor. This arises from the upper or lower pole of the kidney. It may occur on one side or rarely on both sides simultaneously.Growth is continuous and hence the earlier the detection and therapy, the better is the prognosis for the child. This may be felt as early as a few months of age or even at 2 - 3 years. Before any treatment , the function and presence of the opposite kidney must be confirmed. Also look for the beginning of a tumor in the opposite kidney. The overall kidney function is checked by blood tests and then surgery is planned. A CT Scan will show better the dimensions of the tumor, the local spread, the state of the vessels and surgery is planned in that manner. If detected early and well defined, the ideal surgery is to remove the tumor along with the rest of the kidney on that side. This is followed by a microscopic examination of the type of tumor and then the Chemotherapy is begun to remove micro tumor emboli that may already be in the blood stream. At times in more advanced tumors, radiation therapy may also be added for better results. If the tumor has already spread before the diagnosis, then removal of the kidney may not be possible and the tumor may have extended into the blood vessels. In such a case, the diagnosis may be confirmed by a needle biopsy and the chemotherapy is given in cycles to reduce the mass size, and later go in for surgery to remove the tumor if possible. There are many factors that may play a role in the ultimate prognosis like the size of the tumor, the extent of local spread, the age at diagnosis, presence of other symptoms like passing blood in urinec etc.