Analysis of paediatric tumour types associated with hemihyperplasia in childhood

In order to further explore the relationship between hemihyperplasia in children and the occurrence of embryonal tumours of childhood, the records at St Jude Children's Research Hospital were examined for patients who presented with a malignant tumour and hemihyperplasia. Of 27 evaluable patients, 19 had Wilm's tumour and one had massive bilateral nephroblastomatosis. The tumours were more likely to occur on the side affected by hemihyperplasia than to be found contralaterally. All but five of these patients developed the tumours before the age of six. Twenty-two of the 27 patients developed tumours associated with allelic loss on chromosome band 11p15, suggesting that the locus associated with hemihyperplasia may be also located at chromosome band 11p15.