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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration of the female urinary system Female urinary system
Illustration of the male urinary system Male urinary system

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It's not clear what causes Wilms' tumor. Doctors know that cancer begins when cells develop errors in their DNA. The errors allow the cells to grow and divide uncontrollably and to go on living when other cells would die. The accumulating cells form a tumor. In Wilms' tumor, this process occurs in the kidney cells.

In a small number of cases, the errors in DNA that lead to Wilms' tumor are passed from parents to children. In most cases, there is no known connection between parents and children that may lead to cancer. Instead, something happens in the child's early development that causes DNA errors and leads to Wilms' tumor.

Risk factors Symptoms
References
  1. Ritchey ML, et al. Pediatric urologic oncology. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1445/0.html. Accessed July 20, 2011.
  2. Warner BW. Pediatric surgery. In: Townsend CM Jr, et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1565/0.html. Accessed July 20, 2011.
  3. Anderson PM, et al. Neoplasms of the kidney. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed July 20, 2011.
  4. What is a clinical trial? CureSearch for Children's Cancer. http://www.curesearch.org/ArticleView2.aspx?id=8724&l=8657&c=a583b5. Accessed July 21, 2011.
  5. Young people with cancer: A handbook for parents. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/youngpeople/AllPages. Accessed July 21, 2011.
  6. Khan SP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 15, 2011.
DS00436 Sept. 2, 2011

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