What increases the risk for childhood kidney tumors?

There are several factors-mostly genetic-that may increase the risk for childhood kidney tumors. Unlike adult cancers, environmental factors don't really increase the risk for childhood kidney tumors. Instead, inherited genetic disorders are the most significant risk factor. The conditions that may put your child at risk include:

• WAGR syndrome: a genetic defect that causes mental issues and genitourinary tract problems, among other things
• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome: a genetic problem that causes children to be big, with oversized organs
• Denys-Drash syndrome: a rare syndrome that causes reproductive organs to develop abnormally and kidneys to become diseased

Other genetic birth defects such as hemihypertrophy (an oversized limb on one side), cryptorchidism (undescended testes), and aniridia (lack of an iris) may also increase the chances for Wilms tumor and other childhood kidney tumors.