What Every Pediatric Surgeon Should Know About Common Systemic Therapies for the Treatment of Renal Tumors in Children and Adolescents

In brief

This review equips pediatric surgeons with essential knowledge about chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies used in treating childhood renal malignancies. Understanding these systemic treatments is critical for surgical planning and perioperative management, as surgery and chemotherapy often occur in close temporal proximity based on risk-stratified protocols.

• Renal tumors rank among the most common solid malignancies in pediatric patients requiring multidisciplinary treatment approaches.
• Surgery remains the primary treatment modality, supplemented by chemotherapy and radiation based on tumor risk stratification.
• Timing between surgery and chemotherapy is critical—surgeons must understand how systemic agents affect perioperative management.
• Familiarity with common chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies is essential for optimizing surgical timing and outcomes.
• Risk-adapted treatment protocols guide the selection and sequencing of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical intervention.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.