Renal parenchymal carcinoma in children.

A series of 14 cases of renal parenchymal carcinoma in patients under 20 years of age is presented and reviewed with the best documented case reports from the literature. Unlike its adult counterpart the tumour has an equal sex ratio and minor trauma frequently precipitates presentation, otherwise its behaviour is similar. The treatment of choice is nephrectomy but, unlike adults, there is evidence to support the value of adjunctive radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the treatment of local spread. Prognosis is particularly worsened by cellular granularity, and vascular or direct extrarenal spread. The 5 year survival rate is 52 per cent.