Treatment Options for Wilms Tumor

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Stage I Wilms Tumor

Treatment of stage I Wilms tumor with favorable histology may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by combination chemotherapy.
• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes.

Treatment of stage I anaplastic Wilms tumor may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the flank area (either side of the body between the ribs and hipbone).

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Stage II Wilms Tumor

Treatment of stage II Wilms tumor with favorable histology may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by combination chemotherapy.

Treatment of stage II anaplastic Wilms tumor may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by radiation therapy to the abdomen and combination chemotherapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Stage III Wilms Tumor

Treatment of stage III Wilms tumor with favorable histology may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by radiation therapy to the abdomen and combination chemotherapy.

Treatment of stage III anaplastic Wilms tumor may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by radiation therapy to the abdomen and combination chemotherapy.
• Combination chemotherapy, followed by nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by radiation therapy to the abdomen.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Stage IV Wilms Tumor

Treatment of stage IV Wilms tumor with favorable histology may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by radiation therapy to the abdomen and combination chemotherapy. If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, patients will also receive radiation therapy to those areas.

Treatment of stage IV anaplastic Wilms tumor may include:

• Nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by radiation therapy to the abdomen and combination chemotherapy. If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, patients will also receive radiation therapy to those areas.
• Combination chemotherapy given before nephrectomy with removal of lymph nodes, followed by radiation therapy to the abdomen. If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, patients will also receive radiation therapy to those areas.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Stage V Wilms Tumor and patients at high risk of developing bilateral Wilms tumor

Treatment of stage V Wilms tumor (bilateral) may be different for each patient and may include:

• Combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed by repeat imaging at 4 to 8 weeks to decide on further therapy (partial nephrectomy, biopsy, continued chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy).
• A biopsy of the kidneys is followed by combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor. A second surgery is done to remove as much of the cancer as possible. This may be followed by more chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy if cancer remains after surgery.

If a kidney transplant is needed because of kidney problems, it is usually delayed until 1 to 2 years after treatment is completed and there are no signs of cancer.

(See the Treatment of Recurrent Childhood Kidney Tumors section of this summary for information about recurrent disease.)

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.