[Unusual localization of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the gallbladder]

We report a second case of gallbladder embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosed in a 54 year old female. We had previously published a first similar case in a 48 year old male. In the review of the literature 5 other cases were collected. Five of the 7 cases occurred in 4 females and one male adult mean aged 63.4 years, and 2 in young girls aged 40 months. Three cases were of botryoid type, three were of alveolar type and one was of undetermined type. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated intra-cytoplasmic positivity of tumoral cells with anti-vimentin, anti-desmin and anti-actin anti-bodies. The prognosis remains bad. Death occurred, in 5 patients, in a period going from 18 days to 8 months after clinical diagnosis with a 5 months mean survival. The shortest survival was observed in a 40 month old child with AIDS. Only one case with surgical resection followed by radiochemotherapy had a 9 month survival.