Young child with newly diagnosed Wilms tumor - stock photo

From left to right, axial, coronal and sagittal contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis of a young child demonstrating a large, aggressive abdominal tumor arising from the left kidney. This tumor and the attached kidney were removed and found to be a Wilms tumor. Named after Max Wilms, a German doctor who described the disease in 1899, Wilms tumor or nephroblastoma is the most common abdominal cancer and most common kidney cancer in children. It is often only diagnosed once it is large enough to feel or be seen pushing out of the abdomen. Fortunately, the vast majority of Wilms tumors are favorable histology and have a good chance of being cured with treatment. Treatment depends on the stage (size, location, spread) of tumor and begins with surgery to remove the tumor followed by chemotherapy, and often also radiation therapy.