Wilms Tumor Treatment and Care

Learn about Wilms tumor treatment and care in children, with expert surgical and oncology management at Liv Hospital.

Wilms tumor treatment combines surgery, chemotherapy, and sometimes radiation. Liv Hospital offers expert pediatric care for safe, effective recovery.

We're Here to Help.
Get in Touch.

Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.

Wilms Tumor Treatment and Care

How Is Wilms Tumor Treated at Liv Hospital?

The treatment of Wilms tumor (Wilms tümörü) is one of the greatest success stories in modern medicine. At Liv Hospital, we utilize a highly coordinated, multidisciplinary approach that combines surgery, chemotherapy, and sometimes radiation. The primary goal is twofold: to achieve a complete cure while preserving as much healthy kidney function as possible. Because most children with Wilms tumor are very young, we focus on treatments that minimize long-term toxicity to ensure they grow into healthy, thriving adults.

Treatment pathways generally follow one of two international standards: the North American approach (immediate surgery) or the European/SIOP approach (pre-operative chemotherapy). At Liv Hospital, our tumor board selects the best path based on the child’s specific tumor size and location.

Radical Nephrectomy (Surgical Removal)

The cornerstone of treatment for unilateral Wilms tumor is the surgical removal of the affected kidney.

The Procedure: The surgeon removes the entire kidney, the tumor, and the surrounding fatty tissue. At Liv Hospital, we use a wide incision to allow the surgeon to inspect the lymph nodes and the other kidney carefully.
Vessel Safety: If the tumor has grown into the renal vein, our vascular surgeons work alongside the pediatric team to safely extract the “tumor thrombus.”

Nephron-Sparing Surgery (Partial Nephrectomy)

This is a highly specialized technique used primarily for Stage V (bilateral) cases or children with specific syndromes.

The Goal: Instead of removing the whole kidney, we remove only the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue. This preserves vital kidney function, preventing the need for dialysis later in life.

Pre-operative Chemotherapy

In some cases, we administer chemotherapy before surgery.

Why it’s used: If a tumor is exceptionally large or involves both kidneys, 4 to 6 weeks of chemotherapy can shrink the mass, making the eventual surgery safer and reducing the risk of the tumor rupturing during the operation.

Post-operative Chemotherapy (Adjuvant Therapy)

Almost all children receive chemotherapy after surgery to kill any microscopic cancer cells that may remain in the bloodstream or lymph nodes.

Standard Drugs: Usually a combination of vincristine and dactinomycin. For more advanced stages, Doxorubicin may be added.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation is not used for all children. It is reserved for Stage III tumors (where the tumor ruptured or spread to lymph nodes) or Stage IV (spread to lungs).

Technique: At Liv Hospital, we use Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) to target the tumor site with sub-millimeter precision, protecting the liver, heart, and spine from unnecessary radiation.

Central Venous Access (Port-a-Cath)

To make chemotherapy more comfortable, we surgically place a “port” under the child’s skin.

Benefit: This allows the oncology team to draw blood and deliver medicine without repeated, painful needle sticks in the arms.

Management of Unfavorable Histology (Anaplasia)

If the pathology report shows “anaplastic” cells, we use a more intensive chemotherapy regimen. These cells are more resistant to standard drugs, so we escalate the care plan to ensure the best chance of a cure.

Supportive Care and Nutrition

Chemotherapy can cause nausea and a lack of appetite.

Care: Our pediatric nutritionists create high-calorie plans to prevent weight loss, and we use modern anti-emetics (nausea medication) to ensure the child feels well enough to play and eat during treatment.

Managing Side Effects (Blood Counts)

Chemotherapy lowers the white blood cell count, making the child prone to infections.

Prevention: We monitor blood counts weekly and provide “growth factor” injections (G-CSF) if needed to help the bone marrow recover faster.

Psychological and Child Life Services

Treating cancer in a 3-year-old requires more than medicine.

Support: Our child life specialists at Liv Hospital use play therapy to help the child understand their “superhero” medicine and reduce the trauma of hospital stays.

How Does Liv Hospital Provide Specialized Wilms Tumor Care?

At Liv Hospital, the Pediatric Oncology Center offers advanced surgical care, including nephron-sparing surgery for bilateral tumors. Equipped with intra-operative imaging and expert pediatric anesthesia, the focus is on curing the cancer while protecting the child’s long-term health and quality of life.