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Types of Cancer > Pediatric Cancers > Sarcomas: Rhabdomyosarcoma > NCI Resources
NCI/PDQ® Patients: Childhood Rhabdomyosarcoma Treatment (PDQ®)
Affiliation:
National Cancer Institute
Last Modified: August 2, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Note: The health professional version of this summary was extensively revised in June 2007. The patient version of this summary will reflect these changes shortly.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells begin growing in muscle tissue. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of a sarcoma, which means a cancer of the bone, soft tissues, or connective tissue (e.g., tendon or cartilage). Rhabdomyosarcoma begins in the soft tissues in a type of muscle called striated muscle. It can occur anywhere in the body.
Several types of sarcoma are found in children and young adults. The cancer cells must be looked at under a microscope to tell which type of sarcoma it is. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of sarcoma found in the soft tissues of children. (Refer to the PDQ® summaries on Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment; Childhood Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment; and Ewing Family of Tumors Treatment for more information.)
If your child has symptoms of a sarcoma, your child's doctor may order x-rays and other tests. Your child's doctor may also cut out a small piece of tissue and have it looked at under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
Your child's chance of recovery (prognosis) and choice of treatment depend on where the cancer is located, how far it has spread, how the cells look under the microscope (histology), the type of therapy administered, how much of the cancer can be removed by surgery, and the child's age.
Stages of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
Once childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is found, more tests will be done to find out if the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. Your doctor needs to know how far the cancer has spread to plan treatment.
There are several staging systems for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma. The treatment options in this summary are based on size, location, and how far and where the cancer has spread.
Cancer is found in the bones around the eye, the head and neck, near the sex organs, or near the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts.
Cancer is located in 1 area (but in none of the areas in Stage 1), is 2 inches or smaller in size, and has not spread to the lymph nodes.
Cancer is located in 1 area (but in none of the areas in Stage 1), is greater than 2 inches (5 cm) in size, and may have spread to the lymph nodes.
Cancer has spread to other areas of the body at the time of diagnosis.