Wilms' Tumor- Risk Factors For Children

There are certain medical conditions present at birth that are associated with Wilms' Tumor. While the disease occurs more frequently with children afflicted with these birth defects, there have been cases where children without the birth defects developed the disease, also.

Risk factors for Wilms' Tumor include these birth defects:

• Hemihypertrophy ( a medical condition where one side of the body is noticeably larger than the other)
  
  
• Aniridia ( condition in which the iris of the eye is incomplete or missing completely)
  
  
• Hypospadias (a condition in which the opening of the urethra is located on the underside of the penis, not at the tip
  
  
• Cryptorchidism (condition in which one or both testicles fail to descend to the scrotum)
  
  

Wilms' Tumor is often a part of a syndrome. These syndrome have been linked to Wilms' Tumors:

• Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome
  
  This syndrome is characterized by a large tongue, enlarged internal organs and omphalocele, a condition that occurs when the stomach doe not close around the umbilical cord.
  
  WAGR Syndrome
  
  WAGR is an acronym for Wilms' Tumor, Aniridua, Genitourinary tract abnormalities, and mental Retardation.
  
  Denys-Drash Syndrome
  
  Denys-Drash syndrome is characterized by kidney disease, Wilms' Tumor and pseudohermaphroditism, a condition in which a male is born with genitalia that has not developed.

Family history can also be a risk factor for Wilms' Tumor. According to the American Cancer Society, between 1% and 3% of children with Wilms' Tumor have at least one relative with the disease.