Word parts
What it means
A solid tumor of infants and young children, usually under 5. It most often begins in the adrenal glands above the kidneys, but can start along the nerve chains in the abdomen, chest, neck or pelvis. It is often found as a firm, painless abdominal mass, and it may have spread by the time it is found. Many of these tumors release catecholamine breakdown products (such as VMA and HVA), which can be measured in the urine.
For the nurse
Support the family through tests, surgery and chemotherapy, and teach them to collect urine samples as ordered.
Related terms
neur/o
A word root that means nerve or the nervous system.
antineoplastic
A drug used to treat cancer by killing cancer cells or stopping them from growing and dividing.
Wilms tumor
A cancer of the kidney that develops in young children.