Orbital Rhabdomyosarcoma: Clinicodemographic Features and Outcomes from Turkey

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Orbital rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare malignancy affecting the orbit.
• Early diagnosis and management are crucial for patient survival and visual preservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively evaluate the clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic characteristics of orbital rhabdomyosarcoma.
• To understand the presentation, subtypes, and outcomes of orbital RMS.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 14 patients with histologically confirmed orbital RMS.
• Data collected included demographics, clinical presentation, histopathology, radiology, treatment, and follow-up.

Main Results:

• The study included 14 patients (mean age 12.64 years; 71.43% male).
• Proptosis was a common presenting symptom. Embryonal RMS (78.57%) was more frequent than alveolar RMS (21.42%).
• 10 patients (71.42%) showed good treatment response; 2 patients (14.28%) experienced mortality.

Conclusions:

• Orbital RMS requires careful diagnosis and consideration of differential diagnoses due to overlapping features with inflammatory conditions.
• Effective management is vital to prevent disease spread, mortality, and vision loss.