Kidney Tumours

Introduction A variety of benign and malignant tumours can arise in the kidney in children. With minor variations, the spectrum of tumours has worldwide distribution. Wilms’ tumour (WT; also known as nephroblastoma) is the most common kidney tumour in childhood, and may represent the most common abdominal tumour presenting in infants and children in sub-Saharan Africa. In the past decade, considerable advances have been made in the management and elucidation of the molecular biology of Wilms’ tumour. Multidisciplinary collaboration has led to the formation of cooperative study groups in Europe and North America, and has resulted in standardisation of treatment and a remarkable improvement in the outcome of this tumour.1,2 The treatment of children with WT is considered the paradigm for management of most childhood tumours. In Africa as well as some other developing countries, WT remains a challenge to the oncologist, with a significantly poorer outcome of treatment than in developed countries.3–5 This chapter highlights the demographics, aetiology, and pathology of this typical kidney tumour, followed by a presentation of the diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and challenges in Africa. A brief overview of other tumours of the kidney is also highlighted.