Current surgical standards of care in Wilms tumor

Wilms tumor (WT) is the second most common abdominal tumor in children.

This chapter discusses surgical considerations for the management of unilateral and bilateral WT.

Currently, survival exceeds 90%, owing to multicenter studies under the auspices of the Children's Oncology Group and Société Internationale d'Oncologie Pédiatrique. Surgical excision remains the mainstay of oncologic control and is also crucial for proper staging of disease in order to direct adjuvant therapy and limit treatment-related morbidity.

Careful attention must be paid to proper disease staging, upfront and adjuvant therapy, and surgical technique in order to optimize oncologic outcomes while minimizing short- and long-term morbidity.