Biomedicines (Jun 2024)

Insights into Personalized Care Strategies for Wilms Tumor: A Narrative Literature Review

  • Salma Karam,
  • Ahmad Gebreil,
  • Ahmed Alksas,
  • Hossam Magdy Balaha,
  • Ashraf Khalil,
  • Mohammed Ghazal,
  • Sohail Contractor,
  • Ayman El-Baz

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12071455
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 7
p. 1455

Abstract

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Wilms tumor (WT), or nephroblastoma, is the predominant renal malignancy in the pediatric population. This narrative review explores the evolution of personalized care strategies for WT, synthesizing critical developments in molecular diagnostics and treatment approaches to enhance patient-specific outcomes. We surveyed recent literature from the last five years, focusing on high-impact research across major databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Diagnostic advancements, including liquid biopsies and diffusion-weighted MRI, have improved early detection precision. The prognostic significance of genetic markers, particularly WT1 mutations and miRNA profiles, is discussed. Novel predictive tools integrating genetic and clinical data to anticipate disease trajectory and therapy response are explored. Progressive treatment strategies, particularly immunotherapy and targeted agents such as HIF-2α inhibitors and GD2-targeted immunotherapy, are highlighted for their role in personalized treatment protocols, especially for refractory or recurrent WT. This review underscores the necessity for personalized management supported by genetic insights, with improved survival rates for localized disease exceeding 90%. However, knowledge gaps persist in therapies for high-risk patients and strategies to reduce long-term treatment-related morbidity. In conclusion, this narrative review highlights the need for ongoing research, particularly on the long-term outcomes of emerging therapies and integrating multi-omic data to inform clinical decision-making, paving the way for more individualized treatment pathways.

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