E N D
The patient is a 3 year old female who presented to her primary care practitioner for a well child examination and was found to have a palpable left abdominal mass. She was referred to the University of Michigan for consultation with Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Abdominal ultrasound and follow up CT showed an approximately 7 cm left renal mass in the lower pole of the kidney. A smaller periaortic mass was also noted. Laboratory studies showed normal uric acid, alpha fetoprotein, beta HCG, CEA, and urinary catecholamines. Her LDH was slightly elevated. She subsequently underwent a left radical nephrectomy and periaortic lymph node dissection. The virtual slide is from the nephrectomy specimen.
Case 12: Diagnosis Left renal mass, nephrectomy (163 gm): • Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor), 6.7 cm in greatest dimension, with diffuse anaplasia. • Tumor involves renal sinus vessels. • Tumor penetrates the renal capsule, and is focally present at the inked surgical margin (local pathologic stage 3).
Introduction to Wilms tumorand high risk renal tumors Robert E. Ruiz, M.D., Ph.D. University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
Outline • General characteristics of Wilms tumor • Anaplasia in Wilms tumor • Children’s Oncology Group • Brief overview of other high risk tumors • Practical Considerations • Processing pediatric renal tumors • Signing out pediatric renal tumors
Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor) • One of the most common malignant solid tumors of childhood (extracranial), accounting for about 8% of pediatric malignancies • Approximately 1/10,000 children (Blacks >Whites>Asians) • Accounts for 80% of primary renal tumors in children
Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor)Gross features • Usually solitary, rounded masses • Multicentric 12 - 15% • Bilateral 5 - 6% • Size: 60 - 6350 gm; median 550 gm • Pale tan or gray, pseudocapsule, bulging cut surface, generally soft • Lobulation, cysts, hemorrhage, necrosis possible
External surface Cross-section of mass Typical Wilms tumor gross appearance
Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor)Microscopic features • Histologically quite diverse • Typical pattern is triphasic pattern: • Blastema (Metanephric) • Epithelium • Stroma
Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor)Microscopic features (cont’d.) • Triphasic is classic pattern, but monophasic or biphasic pattern also possible • If one component comprises greater than 2/3 of tumor, designate accordingly • Mixed (no component predominates) - 41% • Blastema-predominant - 39% • Epithelium-predominant - 18% • Stroma-predominant - 1.4%
5th week Blastema resembles the metanephric mesoderm from Langman’s Medical Embryology
Wilms tumor Blastema
Wilms tumor Epithelium - tubules
Wilms tumor Epithelium - glomeruli
Favorable vs. unfavorable histology • Terminology reflects interest in histologic classification that provides prognostic information • Usually used in reference to Wilms tumor and neuroblastoma • Conclusion is based on different criteria in these two tumors • In Wilms tumor, distinction between favorable and unfavorable histology is based upon anaplasia
Anaplasia • Two histologic features (seen with 10x objective) • Markedly enlarged, hyperchromatic nuclei (at least 3-fold increase in nuclear diameter) • Multipolar mitotic figures (correlate with polyploid chromosomal content)
Anaplasia • Most important prognostic histologic feature in Wilms tumor • Appears to be correlated with response or resistance to therapy • When widely distributed (diffuse) is associated with worse prognosis than when localized (focal) • Anaplastic Wilms is a high risk renal tumor
CureSearch • Two components • Children’s Oncology Group (COG) • Supported by National Cancer Institute to conduct cooperative research and clinical trials for children with cancer • Develops and coordinates clinical trials at more than 240 member institutions in U.S. and Canada, and sites in Europe and Australia • National Childhood Cancer Foundation • Raises private funds for childhood cancer research carried out by the COG
COG • Formed in 2000 by merger of four pre-existing cooperative research and clinical trial organizations • Children’s Cancer Group (CCG) • Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (IRSG) • National Wilms Tumor Study Groups (NWTSG) • Pediatric Oncology Group (POG)
COG Clinical Trials • Currently over 150 ongoing trials, with over 40,000 patients receiving treatment on a COG protocol • All data about diagnosis, treatment, and results goes to Group Operations Center for analysis • Tissue samples and cell lines may be collected and stored for use in research • Laboratories important for diagnosis, treatment and research are also maintained • Research findings are shared with entire group and used to develop next steps and protocols
Kidney Tumors Committee • Descendant of the NWTSG, founded in 1969 • One of the four organizations that merged to form COG in 2000 • About 70% of children with Wilms tumors have been treated on these protocols in past 20 years • Cure rate has improved from 40% to 85-90%, while decreasing the amount of chemotherapy and radiation therapy • Other renal tumors are also studied, and can require different treatment than Wilms • Biological and genetic insights are also being obtained
Current emphases • Low risk patients: Surgery only? • Standard (intermediate) risk patients: Continue to study, find ways to identify 10-15% who recur • High risk patients: Less than 75% cure rate with some tumors, including resistant forms of Wilms (anaplastic Wilms); need to develop improved treatments
AREN0321: Therapeutic approaches to high risk pediatric renal tumors from Perlman EJ, Ped Dev Pathol 8: 320-338, 2005