Cancer immunotherapy of Wilms tumor: a narrative review

Future Oncol. 2024;20(30):2293-2302. doi: 10.1080/14796694.2024.2386929. Epub 2024 Sep 5.

Abstract

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system in children. Though the traditional treatment of surgery plus radiotherapy and chemotherapy achieves exciting clinical efficacy, in relapsed and refractory cases, the long-term overall survival rates are poor. Besides, chemotherapy and radiation have serious long-term toxic side effects on children. Cancer immunotherapy is a new tumor therapy that works by activating the body's immune system to allow immune cells to kill tumor cells more efficiently. Currently, cancer immunotherapy has been tested in clinical trials or basic studies in WT. This article reviews the current status of clinical trials and basic research of cancer immunotherapy in WT to promote the application of cancer immunotherapy in WT patients.

Keywords: Wilms tumor; cancer immunotherapy; immune cell therapy; immune checkpoint; therapeutic tumor vaccine.

Plain language summary

[Box: see text].

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Combined Modality Therapy / methods
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy* / adverse effects
  • Immunotherapy* / methods
  • Kidney Neoplasms* / immunology
  • Kidney Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Wilms Tumor* / immunology
  • Wilms Tumor* / therapy

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines