Precision medicine for Wilms tumor patients | Children's National

Precision medicine for Wilms tumor patients | Children's National

Precision medicine for Wilms tumor patients

Each year in the U.S., about 650 children are diagnosed with Wilms tumor, the most common pediatric kidney cancer. The vast majority of patients respond well to the current standard of care involving a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. However, approximately 20% of patients with “favorable histology” Wilms tumor experience recurrence.

Previously, researchers discovered that loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosomes 1 and 16 is associated with a significantly increased risk of relapse. A Children’s Oncology Group (COG) research team led by Jeffrey Dome, M.D., Ph.D., sought to determine whether an augmented chemotherapy regimen can overcome the negative effect of LOH.