25. Wilms tumor
Organ: Kidney
Description:
A greyish, lobulated tumor with no well-defined border can be seen.
Diagnosis: Wilms tumor = nephroblastoma
Causes:
- Sporadic (majority)
- Genetic syndromes like WAGR syndrome, Denys-Drash syndrome
Theory:
Wilms tumor is the most common malignant kidney tumor in childhood, although it can occur in adulthood as well.
The tumor is triphasic, meaning it has three different “parts” histologically:
- Epithelial part
- Stromal part
- Blastema part
The blastema part is the most important clinically. A higher proportion of the blastema part compared to the other parts equals a poorer diagnosis.
The greyish foci can be necrosis but it’s impossible to know for sure without histology.