Epidemiology

Wilms' tumour is the most common renal tumour in children in all the world regions.[1] Globally, the age‐standardised incidence rate (ASR) was 7.5 per million.[1] There is regional variation, with South Asia having the lowest ASR of 3.6 per million and North America and Western Europe having the highest ASRs of 8.5 per million and 9.6 per million, respectively.[1] In this study, the ASR of Wilms' tumour in children aged 0 to 14 years by ethnic groups in the US were highest in black (9.7 per million) and white non-Hispanic children (9.1 per million) and lowest in Asian and Pacific Islander children (3.6 per million).[1] In the US, 4% of new cancers diagnosed each year in children less than 15 years old are Wilms' tumour.[12] The incidence of Wilms' tumour has remained relatively stable over time.[13]

Wilms' tumour most commonly occurs in the first 5 years of life.[2] Unilateral cases present at an older age (around 2 years) in both sexes, while the mean age of presentation for bilateral disease is around 1 year of age in females and before the age of 1 year in males.[1]

Up to 10% of patients have metastatic disease at presentation, the most common site being the lungs.[2]

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