A Report of Two Cases of Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma: Diagnostic Insights From Pathology

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a family of malignant soft tissue tumors derived from undifferentiated mesoderm that fails to differentiate into skeletal muscle. Embryonal RMS (ERMS) is the most common subtype of RMS in children and adolescents, particularly those under 10 years of age. It primarily arises in the head and neck region, genitourinary tract, or extremities. Histologically, it resembles developing skeletal muscle with anaplastic features. Diagnosis relies on a combination of imaging, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular studies, with specific genetic alterations noted in the literature. Effective treatment of pediatric RMS cases requires multimodal therapy, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, to achieve a favorable prognosis. We report two cases of ERMS diagnosed within a four-month period, where immunohistochemistry and molecular studies contributed to the diagnosis.