How are Wilms Tumors treated?
In general, pediatric cancers are rare compared to adult cancers and compared to other, non-cancer pediatric diseases. Given this fact, all children with WT should be considered for entry into a clinical trial. Treatment should involve a multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists, including a pediatric surgeon or urologist, a pediatric radiation oncologist, and a pediatric oncologist, all of whom have some experience in treating WT patients. Extensive research in the treatment of WT has been done by the Wilms’ Tumor Study Group, (WTSG), which is now part of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG). Additionally, there have been several studies in Europe conducted by the International Society of Pediatric Oncology. The difference between the American and the European strategies for treating WT is that in American, upfront surgery is preferred whereas the Europeans favor chemotherapy prior to surgery. The findings of the four National Wilms’ Tumor Studies (NWTS) conducted by the WTSG have h
