Surgery only for the treatment of patients with stage I (Cassady) Wilms' tumor

Article Abstract:

Wilms' tumor is a rapidly developing tumor of the kidney and usually occurs in children. In fact, it is the most common malignant neoplasm of the kidney in infants and children. Wilms' tumor is treated by nephrectomy, or removal of the kidney, and survival after nephrectomy has been reported to be about 36 percent. Radiation treatment and anticancer agents have increased the survival of patients with Wilms' tumor. While some studies indicate that radiation treatment may not be necessary for certain patients, standard practice has asserted that all patients with Wilms' tumor should receive chemotherapy. Patients diagnosed with Stage I (Cassady) Wilms' tumor at less than 24 months of age have an excellent prognosis. Stage I (Cassady) tumors usually occur in only one kidney, are small in size, and do not spread to other sites. Treatment with anticancer agents and radiation may not produce additional beneficial effects on the survival of this group of children. The excellent survival of children younger than 24 months with Stage I (Cassady) Wilms' tumors, who do receive radiation treatment, suggests that these patients may only require nephrectomy. The outcome of patients with Stage I (Cassady) Wilms' tumor, treated only by nephrectomy, was monitored. Eight patients were diagnosed with this cancer at less than 24 months of age and underwent nephrectomy, but had no additional therapy. All patients remained free of disease at five-years follow-up. There was only one case of recurrence of a tumor, which developed on both kidneys. The rate of survival in these eight patients after nephrectomy were similar to that among patients receiving adjuvant or additional treatment. These findings suggest that patients less than 24 months of age, who are diagnosed with Stage I (Cassady) Wilms' tumor, can be treated with nephrectomy alone, without risking toxicity from radiation therapy or chemotherapy. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Care and treatment, Surgery, Cancer in children, Childhood cancer

---

Improved survival for children with anaplastic Wilms' tumors

Article Abstract:

Wilms' tumor develops from embryonic kidney cells; the disease affects primarily children. About 80 percent of the children with Wilms' tumor are likely to be cured. The main feature determining survival is the histologic type of the tumor. Anaplastic tumor types account for only about 7 percent of the cases of Wilms' tumor, but are associated with about 39 percent of the deaths. Anaplastic, refers to an appearance under the microscope that is more wild and disordered, and appears to be more malignant. Another histologic type associated with a poor prognosis is the sarcomatous tumors. These, together with the anaplastic tumors, constitute the 'histologically unfavorable' Wilms' tumors. In a national study, patients with favorable histological indications had a survival rate of 90 percent, in contrast with a 54 percent survival rate for those with unfavorable histological findings. The authors report the results of treating 80 children with Wilms' tumor. The treatment protocol for children with more advanced disease and for children with disease with unfavorable histology consisted of vincristine, actinomycin, and cyclophosphamide, in addition to radiotherapy. The affected kidney was removed, regardless of disease stage. This treatment protocol seems to have resulted in improved survival for patients with anaplastic tumors. However, patients with sarcomatous tumors did not experience improved survival. In the present study, seven of the eight children with anaplastic tumors were alive at five years; this 87.5 percent rate is comparable to the 94 percent five-year survival seen among the children with more favorable histologic findings. The five patients with sarcomatous tumors did not respond to treatment and did not survive. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Chemotherapy, Tumors in children, Pediatric tumors

---

The effect of dexrazoxane on myocardial injury in doxorubicin-treated children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Article Abstract:

The effect of dexrazoxane on 101 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was tested. The result shows that dexrazoxane prevents or reduces cardiac injury.

Science & research, Research, Prevention, Influence, Heart diseases, Child health, Dexrazoxane

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Stress fractures of the legs and swelling of the ankles in a patient with lupus: a diagnostic dilemma. Behcet's disease in a patient with immunodeficiency virus infection
• Abstracts: Comparison of single-dose ceftizoxime or ceftriaxone in the treatment of uncomplicated urethral gonorrhea. Cefotetan therapy for gonococcal urethritis and cervicitis
• Abstracts: Pulmonary complications in the patient with acute head injury: neurogenic pulmonary edema. Contamination of enteral feedings and diarrhea in patients in intensive care units
• Abstracts: Factors influencing the treatment of intra-abdominal abscesses. Vascular lesions of the intestines
• Abstracts: An in vitro chemosensitivity test for the screening of anti-cancer drugs in childhood leukemia

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.