Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the caruncle in a 4 year-old boy: case report

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare tumor, with an annual incidence of 4.3 cases per million children. Even thought, it is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in childhood, with a mean age of 6 to 8 years at diagnosis. A 4 year-old boy presented with a history of a fast growing (1-month) nodular lesion in the caruncle of his left eye. Slit lamp examination showed a vascularized solid nodular lesion in the semilunar fold. The lesion was surgically removed obtaining infiltrated edges with tumoral cells. A second surgery was performed with free tumour edges. The diagnosis of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, botryoid type, of intermediate differentiation was made. The treatment for botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma is basically surgical with the combined use of adjuvant polychemotherapy. In adolescent or adult patients (not in infants where growth bone disturbances can occur) external beam radiotherapy can be combined with chemotherapy. Rhabdomyosarcomas of the conjunctiva without orbital extension are rarely reported. We presented a case of a child with a rare tumor which we had a high suspicion of malignancy and early diagnosis and treatment and child is free of systemic disease 6 and half years later. Our research group believes that the key in these tumors is the high index of suspicion and early treatment.