A single genetic mutation may be responsible for about 10% of familial cases of the childhood cancer, Wilms tumour, British researchers have reported.
The gene, named REST, was identified by researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
They set out to find it after four families had more than one child developing the disease.
So far the mutation has been found in 16 children.
The REST gene is known to have a critical role in embryo development.
Researcher Professor Nazneen Rahman said: "We hope our findings will stimulate research into why and how these REST mutations, which all cluster in a particular part of the gene, cause cancer.
"Our findings are also of immediate value to families, who now have an explanation for why their child got cancer.
"Moreover, we can now do a simple blood test to see which children in the family are at risk of cancer and may benefit from cancer screening, and which have not inherited the mutation and so are not at increased risk of cancer."
Mutations in the transcriptional repressor REST predispose to Wilms tumor. Nature Genetics 9 November 2015 [abstract]
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