The management of paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma

Between 1974 and 1986 15 patients presented to the Royal Marsden Hospital with paratesticular rhabdomysarcoma. Of 10 patients presenting with Stage I disease, eight were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Six (75%) remain continuously disease-free 1.2-8.3 years from presentation. The two who relapsed have been salvaged with further treatment and remain disease-free 7.5 years and 10.3 years from original presentation. Three patients presented with regional node involvement and two are disease-free 3.3 and 3.7 years from presentation; the other died from disease. Two patients presented with Stage III disease and one remains alive and disease-free at 7.8 years from presentation. The efficacy of chemotherapy has diminished the roles of surgery and radiotherapy following radical excision in Stage I disease. However, aggressive multi-modality approaches are relevant for metastatic disease.