WILMS-TUMOR IN INFANCY

During a 15-y period, 48 children were treated for Wilms' tumour (WT). Seven of them were <1 y of age at diagnosis. One child presented with non-traumatic haematuria, but in all the other children WT was reveal ed as a palpable abdominal mass at routine examination or investigatio n due to another disease. The four children under 6 months of age at d iagnosis were primarily operated upon. the others received preoperativ e chemotherapy. Two children had chromosomal aberrations in the WT tum our specimen. The follow-up revealed that postoperatively six children are healthy with no evidence of relapse from WT, but one child had a contralateral relapse successfully enucleated. The clinical behaviour and management of WT in infants differ compared with that in older chi ldren. The diagnosis may be uncertain and it can be difficult to disti nguish between malignant and non-malignant lesions. It is essential to realize the possibility of WT, even in children <1 y of age.