Bilateral Wilms tumor: an eleven year experience.

ABSTRACT

Over the last 11 years, 101 patients of Wilms tumor were treated at our hospital. Of these, 7 had bilateral Wilms tumors (BWT). The first two patients were referred in terminal stages and died. Of the latter five, three have survived while one is on treatment. One patient succumbed to liver metastasis, he had stage III disease on one side and was irregular in his chemotherapy protocol. Remarkably, one of the survivors was cured even after developing vertebral metastasis, retroperitoneal recurrence and bilateral lung metastasis. Part of the success was due to "salvage chemotherapy regimens" using Cis-plantinum, ifosphamide and VP-16. Flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy performed on only three of the five patients showed that two tumors were aneuploid and one was diploid. Spectacular cure rates can be achieved in BWT by renal conservation surgeries and effective chemotherapy. The use of "salvage chemotherapeutic regimes" and the study of DNA ploidy is being highlighted.