Our Approach & Expertise

Wilms' tumor is a rare disease, one with which most physicians have little or no experience. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has a long history of treating children with Wilms' tumor, and cares for between five and ten children with the disease each year. Our experienced team of doctors, nurses, and support staff has specialized expertise, acquired through treating difficult and challenging cases, including bilateral Wilms' tumors, tumors that surgeons from other hospitals have considered inoperable, and tumors that have ruptured before diagnosis.

Our surgeons work closely with the Children's Oncology Group in the management of Wilms' tumor patients and have vast experience with the surgical removal of tumor metastases. Consequently, our Wilms' tumor team is uniquely positioned to develop novel therapies for patients whose tumor has returned and to perform high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow or stem cell rescue/transplant for the treatment of advanced Wilms' tumor. We also have experience with unusual needs such as patients who would benefit from preoperative chemotherapy [PubMed Abstract] or those individuals requiring the use of intraoperative radiation therapy [PubMed Abstract] for the treatment of problematic tumors.