Wilms' tumor typically affects young children, with more than 80% of patients identified before 5 years of age. We evaluated the clinical features of Wilms' tumor according to age.

According to their age, 27 patients with Wilms' tumor who underwent radical nephrectomy were classified into group I (under 24 months: n=15), group II (24-48 months: n=4), and group III (over 48 months: n=8), respectively. We retrospectively reviewed tumor size, pathologic features, renal vein invasion, renal capsule invasion, bilaterality, lymphovascular invasion, stage, complete resection, and survival rate.

The mean age of groups I, II, and III was 12.5±7.0 (range, 1-20), 33.3±5.7 (range, 24-39) and 126.9±89.1 (range, 54-300) months, respectively. Bilaterality (p<0.001) and male sexuality (p=0.039) were significantly related to early diagnostic age. Tumor stage (p=0.036) and blastema component (p=0.027) increased with age. Bilaterality and incomplete resection of Wilms' tumor were related to larger size (p<0.001) and vessel/lymph node invasion (p=0.02), respectively. There were no significant differences in tumor volume, anaplasia, capsule invasion, lymph node invasion, vessel invasion, complete resection, laterality, or recurrence according to age. There was also no significant difference in the survival rate according to age.

Tumor stage and blastema component of Wilm's tumor increased with age. Bilaterality and male sexuality were related to an early diagnostic age. There was no significant difference in the survival rate according to age.