Primary renal tumours in childhood.

Although practically every form of tumour found in the-,adult kidney has been reported in childhood, the overwhelming majority of primary renal tumours in childhood are embryomata (syn: Wilms' tumour). Benign renal tumours are rare in children. Adenomata seldom cause symptoms and are generally discovered at autopsy. Fibromata are usually small and sub-capsular but may grow slowly over a period of many years. One such tumour was noted by Rush and Rush (I933) in a child aged 7 years which, because of pressure symptoms due to steady enlargement, was successfully removed I4 years later. Lipomata have not apparently been described in this age group but small angiomata have occasionally been the cause of persistent haematuria (Scott, I954). Malignant tumours of the kidney, other than embryomata, are extremely rare in children, although 14 cases of clear-cell carcinoma were collected by Currie (1955).