Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma in childhood

The paratesticular region was the primary site in 20 of 289 children (7%) entered on the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study. The 20 patients were 1.7- to 19-years-old at diagnosis. Fifteen underwent retroperitoneal node dissection (12) or biopsy (3), and 6/15 (40%) had nodal involvement by tumor. Nineteen of the 20 patients had no gross local or metastatic disease after surgery. All 20 received chemotherapy, and 13 also received radiotherapy. Treatment was effective: 16 of 18 evaluable patients (89%) were free of disease at a median of 23 months from diagnosis (range, 8-43 months). Since the incidence of tumor-involved retroperitoneal nodes is high, a dissection should be performed. If the nodes are free of tumor, retroperitoneal radiotherapy may not be necessary. Reduction of morbidity in patients with paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma is desirable, because the disease has a good prognosis.