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Signs & Symptoms of Kidney Cancer in Children

Kidney cancer in children is relatively rare and almost always a specific type of nephroblastoma called Wilms' tumor. Wilms' tumor accounts for 95 percent of all cases of childhood kidney cancer, according to CancerHelpUK. It can produce a variety of signs and symptoms.

  1. Blood in Urine

    • Wilms' tumor and other childhood kidney cancers can cause bleeding that shows up in the urine. Blood in the urine is present in 15 to 20 percent of Wilms' tumor cases, according to CancerHelpUK. The blood may be visible, causing the urine to look dark or red; it can also be undetectable to the eye, showing up only through laboratory examination.

    Abdominal Swelling

    • Abdominal swelling is the most common symptom of Wilms' tumor, according to CancerHelpUK. This swelling can be very pronounced in children because of their small size. The swelling often occurs because the tumor can grow quite large before it causes any pain or other symptoms; the average size of a Wilms' tumor at diagnosis is one lb., according to kidshealth.org. The swelling itself may also cause abdominal pain. The Mayo Clinic says another symptom of Wilms' tumor is an abdominal mass that you can feel.

    Other Symptoms

    • Wilms' tumor and other childhood kidney cancers can produce a variety of other symptoms. High blood pressure is common, due to the inability of the kidneys to function properly because of the tumor. The cancer may cause symptoms of illness, such as a fever, weight loss and loss of appetite. The disease may also cause gastrointestinal distress, including stomach pain, nausea and constipation.

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