DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for kidney Wilms tumor — screening already-approved drugs against its 42-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleKidney Wilms tumor maps to a 42-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
approvedVincristineApproved drug
Structures already discussed alongside kidney wilms tumor in the retrieved literature, rendered from public PubChem SMILES. Which drugs appear here reflects the evidence found, not a ranked prediction.
Molecular view
bovine ABCC1 — Vincristine has a real, experimentally solved structure in complex with this target (PDB 9LGC, 2.95 Å). This is the drug's own deposited structure, not a prediction, and confirms it is a structurally characterised molecule rather than an untested guess.
Loading structure…
helix sheet r1qdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 9LGC · 2.95 Å · ligand Vincristine (R1Q). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Of 20 patients who received a renal transplant as part of Wilms tumour treatment, 80% had bilateral neoplasms. Those who received a homograft less than a year after tumour treatment had a 47% incidence of recurrence or metastases, compared with zero incidence when transplantation was delayed longer. Two-year survival was 75% for unilateral cases and 38% for bilateral cases.
A 20-year prospective study in Hong Kong identified 54 Wilms tumour patients among 68 children with malignant renal tumours. The annual incidence was 2.29 per million. Mean age was 38 months. At a median follow-up of 9.2 years, 10-year event-free survival was 85.2% and overall survival was 92.6%. Pulmonary metastasis significantly worsened survival. Eight cases of clear cell sarcoma of the kidney had 100% survival.
A single case report describes a 19-month-old boy with bilateral Wilms tumour (stage V) who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, right partial nephrectomy, left radical nephrectomy, and adjuvant radiotherapy. The left tumour shrank by more than 70%. Five months after surgery a cystic lesion containing fat and calcification appeared at the upper pole of the right kidney but caused no problems; by 19 months the cyst had markedly decreased in size. The authors consider the combination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, renal salvage surgery, and adjuvant radiotherapy feasible and safe for bilateral disease.
Gene targeting studies have identified WT1 as a tumour suppressor gene in a subset of Wilms tumours. Other genes implicated in early kidney development include Wnt-4, c-ret, ld, and lim 1. No drug repurposing data appear in these abstracts. What is missing is any clinical trial testing a repurposed drug in Wilms tumour, any molecular stratification linking specific gene defects to drug sensitivity, and dedicated funding for such studies in this rare paediatric cancer.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
The Journal of Urology · 1979 · 63 citations
Renal Transplantation for Wilms Tumor: Report of 20 Cases
AbstractRenal transplantation as part of the treatment for Wilms tumor was done on 20 patients. In 80 per cent the neoplasms were bilateral. Transplantation is indicated in individuals whose renal function is severely impaired or absent because of the malignancy, treatment or both. Patients who received homografts less than a year after treatment of the tumors had a 47 per cent incidence of recurrence or metastases compared to a zero incidence of these problems in those whose transplants were delayed for longer periods. Survival for 2 years or more was obtained in 75 per cent of the recipients with unilateral neoplasms and in 38 per cent of the patients with bilateral tumors.
Medical and Pediatric Oncology · 1996 · 25 citations
Gene targeting in kidney development
AbstractCancer and development are conceptually related because tumor formation in many cases results from the aberrant expression of a developmental program. This is certainly true of Wilms' tumors, which display a range of phenotypes resembling various stages of kidney development. WT1 has been identified as a tumor suppressor gene involved in a subset of Wilms' tumors. Gene targeting of the WT1 gene demonstrated the requirement for this gene product during early urogenital development. Several other genes, including Wnt-4, c-ret, ld and lim 1, have been shown by gene targeting to also be involved in early kidney development. This review discusses gene targeting as an approach to the study of development and reviews the phenotypes of these and other genes involved in kidney organogenesis.
Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology · 2014 · 17 citations
A 20-Year Prospective Study of Wilms Tumor and Other Kidney Tumors
AbstractBACKGROUND: Renal tumors are one of the most common tumors in children. We aim at evaluating the characteristics and the outcome of Wilms tumor and other malignant kidney tumors in Hong Kong. PROCEDURE: Between January 1990 to December 2010, 68 patients under the age of 18 with malignant renal tumors were diagnosed and received treatment in Hong Kong. Clinical records were updated regularly. Prognostic factors and survival rate were evaluated. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were diagnosed with Wilms tumor. The annual incidence was estimated to be 2.29 per million. The mean age was 38 months. Median follow-up was 9.2 years. The event-free survival and overall survival rate at 10 years were 85.2% and 92.6%, respectively. A pair of siblings with familial extrarenal Wilms tumor was included. Pulmonary metastasis did exhibit a significant difference in survival rate. Eight cases of clear cell sarcoma of the kidneys were reported and the survival rate was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical characteristics and outcome of the patients diagnosed Wilms tumor were comparable with other developed countries. Relatively high proportion and excellent outcome were found in clear cell sarcoma of the kidneys.
Journal of Surgical Oncology · 1981 · 10 citations
Wilms tumors in adults
AbstractA 63-year-old man had an unresectable metastatic Wilms tumor in the right kidney. Radiotherapy to the abdomen and chest wall as well as chemotherapy in the form of actinomycin D, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide was given. The tumor was radioresponsive but failed to respond to chemotherapy. The literature was reviewed. Other reported cases of Wilms tumor in adults treated with chemotherapy that is usually given to children are few, but the results are mostly disappointing.
Radical partial renal irradiation.An alternative to partial nephrectomy in bilateral Wilms' tumor
AbstractA 6-year-old girl with simultaneous bilateral Wilms' tumor was treated with a radical nephrectomy on the side of more extensive involvement, followed by postoperative renal bed irradiation (3500 rads over 32 days) and radical partial renal irradiation (4000 rads over 35 days) to the contralateral disease. Concurrent and subsequent adjuvant actinomycin-D and vincristine were given. She has remained disease-free for over 5 years after primary therapy, with satisfactory renal function. This case report suggest that radical partial renal irradiation may be an alternative to partial nephrectomy in the management of the lesser involved kidney in some patients with bilateral Wilms' tumor.
International Journal of Surgery Case Reports · 2020 · 1 citations · open access
Management of bilateral Wilms’ tumour
AbstractAbstract Introduction Wilms’ tumour remains the most common renal tumour in children (6% of all pediatric malignancies) and present as one of the most challenging tasks for paediatric urologists as its management requires an advanced procedure. The ultimate goal in these cases is to preserve as much renal parenchyma as possible whilst still achieving complete tumour resection. Presentation of case Here we present a six year follow up report of a bilateral Wilms’ tumour case in a 19-months old boy. This patient underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen, followed by right partial nephrectomy and left radical nephrectomy. Adjuvant radiotherapy was performed following the surgery. Follow-up imaging 5 months afterward revealed a firmly heterogeneous cystic lesion consist of fat and calcification at the upper pole of the right kidney, none of which created any problem for the patient. MRI was later performed on the 19 th month after the surgery, showing marked decrease in the size of the cyst. Discussion According to SIOP and NWTSG classification, the patient presented as stage V of the disease. The patient was on neoadjuvant chemotherapy (Regimen I) as recommended by NWTSG. This strategy was shown to be effective, as the tumour on the left kidney was reduced to less than 70% of the initial size. A routine follow-up using chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasonography (USG), and contrast studies such as MRI and MSCT scan, was performed in our reports. Conclusion From our experience, the combination of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, renal salvage surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy is a feasible, safe and effective option for bilateral Wilms’ tumour cases. Highlights
Brazilian Journal of Medicine and Human Health · 2017 · 1 citations · open access
WILMS TUMOR IN ADULTS: CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
AbstractWilms Tumor (WT) is an extremely rare neoplasia in adults. It represents 95% and 1% of all renal tumors, in adults and children respectively. Clinical symptoms are also distinct between adults and children. In adults, symptoms are usually abdominal pain and hematuria, on the other hand, pediatric patients frequently present with an asymptomatic abdominal mass. The recommended treatment for WT in adults follows protocols established for pediatric patients. Currently, the 5-year overall survival rate for adults with WT is of approximately 90%. The adoption of multimodal therapy systematized, and proposed by current protocols, allowed the results to become much more robust, with a significant improvement from less than 30% to 90%. However, recent reviews suggest a worse outcome for adults when compared to children, even when submitted to the same treatment regimen, and comparable according to histology and tumor stage.We present a case of a 26 years-old male patient, who underwent surgery to treat a solid renal mass. Pathological report demonstrated a Wilms tumor. The patiente also received adjuvant chemotherapy with dactinomycin and vincristine. After 12 months follow-up, patient has no evidence of disease.
Clinical Pediatrics Open Access · 2018 · 1 citations · open access
Wilms Tumor: An Example Of Risk-Adapted and Well Tolerated Therapy
AbstractWilms tumor (WT) is the most common malignant renal tumor in children. It can present with an abdominal mass and macroscopic hematuria. A 2 year old boy presented with acute onset of bilious vomiting and macroscopic hematuria. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 WT with lung metastasis and treated with risk-adapted therapy. Initial surgery was followed by risk based chemotherapy; lung radiation was needed and he currently remains in remission. Due to the recent advances in treatment based on risk stratification of WT, the overall survival for children diagnosed with WT has increased, but treatment of lung metastases can be challenging.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
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