Wilms Tumor
Wilms tumor is a primary tumor of the kidney. The usual
complaint is an abdominal mass felt by the parents or another family member.
Children can also present with high blood pressure, blood in their urine,
and constipation; however, these symptoms are uncommon. Once the
pediatrician confirms the abdominal mass, a referral is made to a pediatric
oncologist (a childhood cancer specialist). After the oncologist examines
the child, special radiographs are ordered to determine where the location
of the tumor and how far, if at all, the tumor spread. These studies include
an abdominal ultrasound, a chest x-ray, and a CT (or CAT scan) of the chest,
abdomen and pelvis. Once these studies are completed, a pediatric surgeon
or pediatric urologist (pediatrician who specializes in childhood kidney,
bladder, and genital diseases) and a pediatric radiation oncologist (specialist
in administering radiation treatment) are consulted. If a Wilms tumor is
suspected, a surgery is planned to examine and possibly remove the affected
kidney.
Interestingly, there are rare diseases that predispose
children to Wilms tumor. Examples include the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome,
Denys-Drash syndrome, Perlman syndrome, hemihypertrophy, sporadic aniridia,
and the WAGR syndrome. Because of their high-risk status, children with
these rare diseases are usually advised to have repeat abdominal ultrasounds
every three to four months to detect any tumors as early as possible.
Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastomas arise from the sympathetic chain (a special
group of nerves that run along side the entire spine) and adrenal gland.
Therefore, a neuroblastoma can start anywhere along the spine or in the
abdomen. It can cause various symptoms such as bumps on the head, bruises
around the eyes (raccoon eyes), nasal congestion (of course, most cases
of nasal congestion are due to a cold, not a tumor), proptosis (eyes bulging
out), a neck mass, a chest mass, an abdominal mass, or constipation.
