Wilms' Tumor Symptoms

Symptoms of Wilms' tumor vary from child to child. Because tumors often grow large before they are discovered, the main symptom is a bloated or enlarged abdomen. A mass in the abdomen also might be noticed.

Other signs of Wilms' tumor include:

• Blood in the urine
• High blood pressure
• Stomach pain
• Fever
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Shortness of breath
• Constipation
• Recurring fever

If your child has these symptoms, they are probably caused by something less serious than Wilms' tumor. However, it's a good idea to talk to your child's doctor, as they may signal other health problems.

Wilms' Tumor Risk Factors

Anything that increases your child's chance of getting Wilms' tumor is a risk factor. Although we don't know exactly what causes Wilms' tumors, some things may make your child more likely to develop the disease.

Risk factors include:

• Age: Most children who develop Wilms' tumors are between 3 and 5 years old
• Race: Wilms' tumor is more common in African American children. It is least prevalent in Asian American children
• Gender: It is more common in females
• Birth defect syndromes, including:
  • WAGR
  • Beckwith-Wiedemann
  • Denys-Drash
• Other birth defects, including:
  • Aniridia (complete or partial lack of the iris [colored area] of the eyes)
  • Hemihypertrophy (an oversized arm and/or leg on one side of the body)
  • Cryptorchidism (failure of the testicles to descend into the scrotum) in boys
  • Hypospadias (defect in boys where the urinary opening is on the underside of the penis)
• Other genetic conditions, including:
  • Perlman syndrome
  • Sotos syndrome
  • Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome
  • Bloom syndrome
  • Li-Fraumeni syndrome
  • Frasier syndrome
  • Trisomy 18

Not everyone with risk factors gets Wilms' tumor. However, if your child has risk factors, you should discuss them with your doctor.