Hepatoblastoma and hypoplastic kidneys: a new association

Both hepatoblastoma and hypoplastic kidneys are rare in children. A review of all patients with hepatoblastoma treated at our institution between 1993 and 2011 revealed three cases of hepatoblastoma occurring in children with hypoplastic kidneys and significantly impaired renal function. Two patients were treated with doxorubicin-based therapy without cisplatin. One was treated with carboplatin. The former two are long-term survivors while the third patient died of sepsis following chemotherapy. This association is unlikely due to chance alone and chemotherapy regimens without cisplatin may be effective in treating these children.