Surgical implications for liver metastases in nephroblastoma—Data from the SIOP/GPOH study

SummaryBackgroundIn children with Wilms’ tumor, the 5-year overall survival rate is over 90% in the SIOP/GPOH study group. However, a small group of patients have tumor lesions in the liver at the time of initial diagnosis or as a recurrence. This group seems to have a worse prognosis in terms of survival. The treatment and outcome of patients with a hepatic recurrence were analyzed compared to previously published data of patients with primary hepatic metastases.Patients and methodsWe reviewed the records of 45 out of 1365 patients enrolled in the SIOP 93-01/GPOH study and the SIOP 2001/GPOH study between April 1, 1994 and September 30, 2004. Median age at diagnosis was 6.49 years (1.37–34.16 years) in 29 patients who were initially presented with hepatic metastases (group I) with 9 males and 20 females. In 16 children who had a recurrence of a nephroblastoma in the liver (group II), median age at diagnosis was 4.62 years (1.84–31.08 years) with 9 males and 7 females.ResultsIn group I out of 29 patients, 11 died at a median of 13.07 months. Overall survival in group I was 62.58%.In group II, 9 patients died at a median 52 months. Overall survival in group II was 54.7%.ConclusionThis report suggests that when complicated by metastases of the liver, Wilms’ tumor has a less favorable outcome. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy play a definitive role in the treatment of these children.The importance of complete resection of hepatic lesions in both groups should be emphasized.