Molecular genetics of Wilms' tumor: insights into normal and abnormal renal development.

Wilms' tumor is a pediatric malignancy of the kidney. Studies of the genetics of this disease have revealed a limited number of genes implicated in tumor initiation. The identification and characterization of these genes and their products represents an immediate challenge to further our understanding of the molecular events involved in tumor progression. Understanding the events leading to deregulation of cell growth and proliferation in Wilms' tumor has lead to the ability to predict a group of individuals at risk for this malignancy.