[2] Some WAGR syndrome patients show severe childhood obesity and hyperphagia, and are categorised as WAGRO (adding obesity) which may be associated with the coinciding loss of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) a gene that is also on chromosome 11.

[3] It is possible for those with WAGR syndrome to develop Wilms' tumor, a rare form of kidney cancer.

[citation needed] In older children, clinical diagnosis of the syndrome can be made when aniridia and one of the other features are present.

Mutations in the PAX6 gene have recently been shown to not only cause ocular abnormalities, but also problems in the brain and pancreas.

FISH which will demonstrate a lack of a fluorescent signal coordinating to the specific location of the gene.