Rhabdomyosarcoma in children: clinical analysis of 20 cases

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. Twenty patients who were treated for rhabdomyosarcoma at this institution from 1979 to 1989 were reviewed. All of the patients were under 14 years of age. Two patients had tumors in the head and neck region (excluding the orbit), four in the orbit, seven in the trunk and extremities, five in the intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal region, and two in the urinary bladder. Eleven tumors were subclassified as the embryonal type, five as the alveolar type, one as the pleomorphic type, and the other three were not subclassified. Most patients received combined treatment with surgery and chemotherapy and/or irradiation. The overall one-year survival rate was 54% and the two-year survival rate was 31%. Several prognostic factors were identified. Longer-term survivors were younger than six years, had a histology of the embryonal subtype, were clinical group I or had tumors located in the orbit. Aggressive treatment is necessary to achieve a better outcome.