Remember Dr. Bruce Beckwith

Very few know there is a specimen of a bilateral renal tumor preserved in the Hunterian Museum in London, and only one person has had the intellectual curiosity and tenacity to obtain samples of those tumors to study their histopathology. Bruce Beckwith was that one, and yes, they were Wilms tumors.

Dr. Beckwith will be remembered for many things, but the numerous studies resulting from his work as the reference pathologist for the National Wilms Tumor Study (NWTS) has made his name a by-word whenever the renal tumors of childhood come up for discussion. He arrived at the understanding of the histological pattern of Wilms tumor through meticulous observation and analysis of numerous tumor specimens. He and his team analyzed tissue samples obtained from biopsies, surgeries, or autopsies from around the world. Furthermore he collaborated with clinicians, geneticists, and other researchers to advance the state of the art.

Prior to his work with collaborators from all over United States, survival of Wilms tumor was approximately 20% in the 1960s. Led by Dr. Beckwith survival has improved today to over 90%. His work was done in the 70s, imagine the potential we have in the 21st century. For more listen to Dr. Hanmin Lee, a renowned figure in pediatric surgery and the director of the Fetal Treatment Center at UCSF and Surgeon-in-chief of UCSF Benioff Children’s hospital San Francisco.

For more on the Pediatric Moonshot see www.pediatricmoonshot.com.