How does rhabdomyosarcoma present?

Rhabdomyosarcoma is actually a common malignant tumor and is a highly prevalent disease in children. Generally, after rhabdomyosarcoma appears, there will be an obvious lump at the site of the disease, and the texture of the lump can be felt to be hard by hand. The shape of the lump is irregular, some are large and some are small, so parents should learn more about this disease.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant tumor originating from striated muscle cells or mesenchymal cells that differentiate into striated muscle cells. It is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. The incidence of rhabdomyosarcoma ranks third among soft tissue sarcomas, after malignant fibrous histiocytoma and liposarcoma. It occurs less frequently in adults, and more frequently in men than in women. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma occurs mostly in children under 8 years old (average age is 6 years old); alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma occurs in adolescent males (average age is 12 years old); pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma occurs commonly in adults but can also be seen in children.

Clinical manifestations

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma mostly occurs in children under 10 years old, and is prone to occur in the head and neck, orbital area, and urogenital system.

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma mostly occurs in adolescents, and is more common in the lower limbs, followed by the head, neck, and trunk. The texture of the tumor is rubber-like and hard. In addition to hematogenous metastasis, it is often accompanied by lymph node metastasis. The tumor boundaries are unclear, and most cases die within 1 year.

Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma mostly occurs in middle-aged and older adults. It is common in the limbs, mainly in the lower limbs, especially in the deep muscles of the thighs. The sizes of the lumps vary, with the largest ones reaching more than 20 cm in diameter. Polymorphic rhabdomyosarcoma often metastasizes into the blood. Lymph node involvement is more common than in the other two types of rhabdomyosarcoma. The clinical course of some cases is slow, and one-third of the cases can survive for about five years.

examine

1. X-ray examination

Soft tissue shadows may be seen, with or without calcifications and bone destruction.

2. Biopsy

Needle biopsy or frozen section examination of biopsy tissue can help with the diagnosis.