Treatment and Outcomes of Children and Adults With Rhabdomyosarcoma in Rwanda

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Sarcoma Research
• Global Health

Background:

• Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma.
• Limited data exists on RMS presentation and outcomes in African populations.
• This study addresses the knowledge gap in RMS management within a low-resource African setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) patients in Rwanda.
• To evaluate the feasibility of managing RMS in a rural district hospital setting.
• To identify factors influencing treatment success and survival in this population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective chart review was conducted for all age groups diagnosed with RMS.
• Data was collected from patients treated at the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence in Rwanda from July 2012 to June 2022.
• Patients were treated following adapted Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group protocols.

Main Results:

• Fifty-nine patients with histopathologically confirmed RMS were analyzed.
• Embryonal histology was most common (66.1%), with a median age of 9.1 years.
• Two-year event-free survival was 23.3% overall, but significantly higher (61.4%) for patients completing therapy.

Conclusions:

• Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) treatment is achievable in a rural African district hospital.
• Patient outcomes, while lower than in high-income countries, were improved by treatment completion.
• Future strategies should prioritize earlier diagnosis and seamless care coordination to optimize treatment adherence and survival.