A scoring system for Wilms' tumour: pathological study of the second Medical Research Council (MRC) trial

The second MRC nephroblastoma trial was devised to determine whether more intensive chemotherapy in the early stages and multiple chemotherapy in the poorer prognosis groups would give improved results. As a separate study the pathological and clinical aspects were assessed to see whether information may be obtained concerning the behaviour of individual tumours of the 159 cases included, 142 were regarded as nephroblastoma. Significant features were the age of the patient, clinical stage at diagnosis, tubular status of the neoplasm and the presence or absence of anaplasia. A scoring system has been devised to take account of these factors.