RHABDOMYOSARCOMA OF THE EXTREMITIES: A Focus on Tumors Arising in the Hand and Foot
Authors:
Michela Casanova a;
Cristina Meazza a;
Francesca Favini a;
Marco Fiore b;
Carlo Morosi c;
Andrea Ferrari a
| Affiliations: | a Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy |
| b Melanoma Sarcoma Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy | |
| c Radiology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy |
DOI:
10.1080/08880010902964367
Publication Frequency:
8 issues per year
Subjects:
Oncology: Hematologic Oncology;
Hematology: Hematologic Oncology;
Pediatrics & Child Health;
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Abstract
Background: Extremities are peculiar sites of origin for rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) and are usually associated with an unfavorable outcome. Methods: The authors reviewed the clinical data on 60 patients <21 years old with limb RMS treated at the Pediatric Oncology Unit of the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan, in Italy, over a 30-year period. Twelve patients had tumors arising in the hand and foot. Results: Complete tumor resection was achieved in 21 patients (but in only 1 case of hand/foot RMS); all patients received chemotherapy and 43 also had radiotherapy. The alveolar subtype was identified in 62% of cases. Half of the hand/foot cases had metastatic disease at onset. Overall survival at 5 years was 33% among the hand/foot cases and 56% for the others. Most of the relapsing cases had distant metastases. Conclusions: A particularly poor survival was observed for RMS of the hand/foot due its marked tendency to spread. Surgical resection is particularly difficult in such cases and a multimodality treatment approach seems crucial to improving their outcome.
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| Keywords: children and adolescents; extremity site; pediatric soft tissue sarcomas; rhabdomyosarcoma of extremities; rhabdomyosarcoma of hand and foot |
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