[Conservative therapy in genitourinary rhabdomyosarcomas in children]

Fifteen children with rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder and prostate or vagina treated by combined chemotherapy radiotherapy and surgery, are reported. Eleven were submitted to preoperative chemotherapy. Ten children are alive with a follow up of 7 month to 16.2 years after treatment. All five deceased patients were boys. Nine children were submitted to a conservative approach of the lesions; 8 of there ar alive, 3 of which with sequelae. Four boys were treated with total cystectomy and one girl had a colpohysterectomy: 2 of these children also have sequelae. The point of this report is to underline the possibility of a conservative surgical approach when possible, especially in cases where tumor reduction is obtained by preoperative chemotherapy and completed by local irradiation when necessary. The late sequelae of these treatment modalities are also analysed.