Pediatric bladder/prostate rhabdomyosarcoma: Eight cases from a single center

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Urologic Oncology
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Bladder/prostate rhabdomyosarcoma (BP RMS) is a rare and aggressive pediatric malignancy.
• Understanding clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes is vital for improving patient survival.
• Retrospective analysis provides insights into managing this challenging disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively evaluate the clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes of children diagnosed with BP RMS.
• To identify factors influencing treatment response and survival in pediatric BP RMS.
• To contribute to the discussion on optimal local control strategies for BP RMS.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of clinical files for 8 children diagnosed with BP RMS between 2004 and 2014.
• Analysis of patient demographics, presenting symptoms, histological findings, treatment regimens, and follow-up data.
• Evaluation of treatment outcomes, including local relapse, progression, and survival rates.

Main Results:

• Seven males and one female were diagnosed with BP RMS, with a median age of 33.5 months.
• Common presenting symptoms included hematuria; all patients were non-metastatic at diagnosis.
• Local relapse or progressive disease occurred in 5 of 8 patients, with varied responses to surgical and radiochemotherapy interventions. Six patients survived with a median follow-up of 53 months.

Conclusions:

• Bladder/prostate rhabdomyosarcoma necessitates a multidisciplinary treatment approach.
• Chemotherapy is the cornerstone of BP RMS treatment, but optimal local control methods are controversial and case-dependent.
• Further research is needed to refine treatment protocols for improved outcomes in pediatric BP RMS.