Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma with cerebral and cerebellar metastases and subarachnoidal bleeding: a case report

A 19-year-old male was hospitalized with a swelling tumor in his left foot. Bone marrow analysis showed marrow carcinosis. Blood investigations, x-rays, radioisotopic scanning and computer tomography did not show any signs of a tumor. The patient died 6 months after the first admission to hospital. Autopsy showed alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) in planta pedis. Besides metastasis in the columna and thoracal lymph nodes, there was tumor tissue in the arachnoidea and subarachnoidal bleeding, a combination not earlier described. ARMS is highly malignant and most of the patients are young.