What Happens To Untreated Tumor & When To Go To Doctor For It?

Cancer in an individual starts whenever cells in his/her body starts growing out of control. Wilms tumors are specific types of kidney cancers found commonly in children belonging to 3 years or 4 years of age. However, in rare cases, these cancers may take place in any old children, teen-age individuals or adults.⁽²⁾

Most of the people often ask doctors what would happen if they leave their problems of Wilms tumors untreated. To give an appropriate answer, it is essential for us to analyze and understand the tumor in detail. For this, firstly we will understand the basic functions performed by human kidneys.

Every human being has two bean-shaped organs called kidneys attached to the back walls of the abdomen. Kidneys in humans are responsible to perform different functions, which include the following-

• Filtration of blood to remove the excess amount of salt, water, and varieties of waste products, which excrete from the body in the form of urine
• To control blood pressure
• To assure about enough amount of red blood corpuscles in the body

Wilms tumor takes place in a single kidney known as a unilateral tumor, but in some cases, tumors may affect both kidneys of a patient i.e. bilateral tumor.

Other than unilateral and bilateral ones, Wilms tumors are of following major types depending on their appearance/size under an electron microscope i.e. histology-

Favorable Tumors: Cancer cells in case of favorable Wilms tumors are neither too normal nor too abnormal. Instead, the majority of these tumors possess favorable histology. Because of this, early diagnose and treatment of children with these types of tumors are helpful in proper cure.

Anaplastic Tumors: In case of anaplastic tumors, doctors find a huge variation in the appearance of cancer cells and parts of cancer cells often tend to become large as well as distorted. Doctors refer it as anaplasia and it may be in diffused form i.e. spreads widely from the tumor or focal i.e. remains limited to only specific parts of the Wilms tumor.

Irrespective of whether the tumor takes place in a single kidney or both and whether it is of favorable or anaplastic type, Wilms tumors are cancerous and they are of a malignant form of cancers. Because of this, if you leave the problem untreated, your child may likely develop many complications in the coming years, along with kidney failure and death in some cases.⁽¹⁾

We have already discussed the adverse health effects of your child if you leave the problem of Wilms tumor untreated. Now, we will discuss in detail about when you should consult with your family doctor and later on, to specialists, such as an oncologist, a nephrologist or a pediatrician for Wilms tumors diagnose and treatment.

Initially, if you identify the mentioned symptoms related to the Wilms tumors/cancers, you should immediately consult with a general physician or a family doctor.

• A majority of children with Wilms tumors have swelling in their abdominal areas
• Abnormal color of the urine and presence of blood in it in some cases
• Appetite loss and fever
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Pain in chest and/or abdominal areas
• Constipation
• Vomiting and Nausea
• Large as well as distended veins in abdominal areas
• Often feeling unwell or malaise
• Abnormal weight loss without any reason
• Along with this, when the tumor reaches to the patients’ lungs, it causes breathing difficulty, blood in his/her sputum and coughing.

Depending on the recommendations given by your doctor, you have to approach specialists for further treatment.⁽¹⁾

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Also Read:

• Does Wilms Tumor Cross The Midline?
• How To Manage Wilms Tumor With The Help Of Home Remedies?
• How Does Wilms Tumor Affect The Kidney?
• Is Wilms Tumor A Cancer & What Does It Feel Like?
• Is Wilms Tumor Painful & Is It Genetic?
• Can Wilms Tumor Be Diagnosed Through Lab Tests & What Are The Types Of Treatment?
• Can Wilms Tumor Go Away On Its Own & What Are It’s Natural Remedies?