Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the uterine cervix in two Ethiopian patients: case report

Most rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) of the female genital tract occur in infants and young children as sarcoma botryoides. To our knowledge, RMS of the cervix has never been reported in Ethiopia. Two patients with RMS of cervix in their second and third decades of life were seen in a short period of time span at Tikur Anbessa Hospital in the first half of 1996. Difficulties were encountered in reaching a diagnosis and appropriately managing the patients which necessitated the revision of previous biopsy result especially in the first patient. Both presented clinically with bloody vaginal discharge and cervical mass. RMS of the cervix deserves attention in a young patient with cervical mass and bloody vaginal discharge. The excised tissue should be subjected to histopathologic study. Treatment with polychemotherapy and/or radiation in addition to aggressive surgical approach should be made available to obtain good results.