Wilms' and Other Kidney Tumors

If your child has been diagnosed with a kidney tumor, Atrium Health Levine Children's is home to top pediatric oncologists who can give them the best chance at a happy, healthy life.

We use highly precise treatments to target kidney tumors and keep them from coming back. And our comprehensive care goes beyond medical treatments, connecting patients with psychologists, art therapists and other specialized resources to help your child through every part of their cancer journey.

Treating kidney tumors

Kidney tumors, also called nephroblastomas, start when cells abnormally grow and multiply in the kidneys. Wilms’ tumors (the most common pediatric kidney cancer) and other kidney tumors are highly treatable, usually with a combination of therapies. These therapies include:

• Chemotherapy. This type of medicine aims to kill cancer cells and stop them from returning. Through our outpatient chemotherapy program, many kids can do part of their treatment in the comfort of their own home.
• Radiation therapy. This aims to kill or shrink tumors with high-energy beams.
• Surgery. Our pediatric surgeons use the most advanced and precise techniques to remove kidney tumors.

Support services

To help kids and families cope with all aspects of cancer, we offer support services and resources, including:

• Child life specialists, who help children with all aspects of cancer – from understanding their treatments to navigating school during and after cancer.
• Child psychologists, who help kids manage the fear and stress that go with cancer. Our goal is for your child to be as happy, positive and resilient as possible during treatment.
• Integrative medicine, which goes beyond medical therapy and helps kids stay healthy through things like nutrition counseling, dance, massage, art therapy and pet therapy.
• Social workers, who assist families with everything from getting financial help to coordinating transportation to and from the hospital.
• Survivorship services, where we make sure your child gets the care they need once their cancer is gone. We monitor your child’s health, keep them up-to-date on screenings and coordinate with your pediatrician.

Why choose Levine Children's?

Levine Children’s offers leading care to families across the Southeast. Here’s why families bring their kids to us:

• Top pediatric oncologists. We’ve seen many types and stages of kidney cancer and can create a treatment plan that meets your child’s unique needs.
• Leading-edge treatments. From highly targeted radiation therapy to minimally invasive surgery, we offer the best available treatments. This includes clinical trials of promising therapies. In fact, we participate in the Children’s Oncology Group and other organizations that bring experts together to develop new therapies and launch clinical trials.
• Comprehensive care. Cancer affects every part of your child’s life. Our child psychologists, nutritionists, art therapists, tutors and other specialists are here to help. We also pair families with nurse navigators for help with everything from scheduling appointments to understanding treatments.
• Care from childhood to adulthood. If children need care into adulthood, we’ll smoothly transition them to our program at Levine Cancer Institute when they turn 26. This guarantees that your child keeps getting world-class care, from the place they know and trust.