How we approach paediatric renal tumour core needle biopsy in the setting of preoperative chemotherapy: A Review from the SIOP Renal Tumour Study Group

The International Society of Paediatric Oncology Renal Tumour Study Group (SIOPRTSG) advocate treating children with Wilms tumour (WT) with preoperative chemotherapy, whereas the Renal Tumor Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) advocates primary nephrectomy (without biopsy) when feasible. Successive SIOP-RTSG trial protocols recommended pretreatment biopsy of children with unilateral tumours only where there were features to suggest an increased probability of a non-WT requiring a change in management. The UK experience in the SIOP WT 2001 trial showed that an alternate approach of performing biopsies on all children with renal tumour masses to determine histology at diagnosis rarely changes management, and can result in misdiagnosis (particularly patients in the age range typical for WT). Although a more selective approach to biopsy has been routine practice in all other countries participating in SIOP-RTSG trials, there was variation between national groups. To address this variation and provide evidence-based recommendations for the indications and recommended approach to renal tumour biopsy within the SIOP paradigm, an international, multidisciplinary working group of SIOP-RTSG members was convened. We describe the resulting recommendations of this group, which are to be incorporated in the ongoing SIOP-RTSG UMBRELLA study