article · Journal of Medical Case Reports
Wilms tumour is the most frequent primary kidney cancer found in children. While extension into the inferior vena cava happens in 4 to 10 percent of instances, spread into the heart is unusual, occurring in approximately 1 percent of cases. In settings with limited healthcare resources, late presentation and restricted access to specialised treatment can cause fatal outcomes. A case study describes an eight-year-old girl in Tanzania who had a six-month history of worsening abdominal swelling, breathing difficulties, and swelling in the legs. Clinical imaging showed a massive right-sided renal tumour that extended through the inferior vena cava into the right atrium, blocking tricuspid valve inflow. Although treated with intravenous actinomycin D and vincristine, the patient suffered rapid decline, developing cardiogenic shock and dying within seven days. The report stresses the need for timely diagnosis and robust paediatric multidisciplinary care.
When common childhood kidney cancers go undetected, they can spread into major blood vessels and the heart itself. This case highlights how delayed diagnosis and limited access to advanced medical infrastructure can lead to rapidly fatal complications. Addressing these diagnostic and treatment gaps is crucial to saving children who develop advanced, complex forms of otherwise treatable tumours.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway, as it is a clinical case report highlighting gaps in healthcare infrastructure and multidisciplinary care rather than a commercial product or technology.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
BACKGROUND: Wilms' tumor is the most common primary renal malignancy in children. Although tumor extension into the inferior vena cava occurs in 4-10% of cases, intracardiac involvement is rare, reported in only 1%. In resource-limited settings, delayed diagnosis and inadequate access to specialized care may lead to fatal complications. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of an 8-year-old Tanzanian girl presenting with a 6-month history of progressive abdominal distension, dyspnea, and lower limb edema. Imaging revealed a large right-sided renal mass with extension into the inferior vena cava and right atrium, causing tricuspid valve inflow obstruction. Despite receiving one dose each of intravenous actinomycin D and vincristine, her condition rapidly deteriorated, culminating in cardiogenic shock and death within 7 days of admission. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the importance of early recognition, prompt diagnosis, and multidisciplinary management of Wilms' tumor with intracardiac and vascular extension. It highlights the need to strengthen pediatric oncology, surgical, cardiac, and intensive care infrastructure in low-resource settings to avoid preventable fatalities.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1186/s13256-025-05514-6
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
