Frank Balis, MD, Chairs National Panel that Released First-ever Treatment Guidelines for Wilms Tumor

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The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently published its first-ever treatment guidelines for Wilms' tumor, a kidney tumor cancer found almost exclusively in children. Frank Balis, MD, who holds the Louis and Amelia Canuso Family Endowed Chair for Clinical Research in Oncology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), chairs the NCCN guidelines panel for Wilms tumor. He has particular expertise in clinical pharmacology of anti-cancer drugs, tumor biomarkers, and the care of children with kidney tumors.

The guidelines contain evidence-based expert consensus recommendations for how to maximize benefits and minimize side effects for managing this rare but highly treatable type of kidney cancer that typically occurs in children age 8 or younger. Due to the relative infrequency of this type of cancer, these guidelines contain crucial information for care providers regarding diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

“These guidelines are for multi-disciplinary teams taking care of patients,” Dr. Balis explained. “There is guidance for geneticists, surgeons and radiation oncologists. There’s also information for primary care pediatricians to help ensure this cancer is caught early enough.”

NCCN guidelines are formulated by a multidisciplinary panel of subject-specific experts from across the 30 leading cancer centers that comprise the nonprofit NCCN.


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