title: Rhabdomyosarcoma with primary osteolytic lesions simulating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
abstract: We report the case of an 8-year-old child presenting with the pathological fracture of two vertebral bodies due to bone lytic lesions. Physical and instrumental examinations did not show any further evidence of disease. However, bone marrow aspirate showed an infiltrate of poorly differentiated cells. When the child was transferred to the Department of Pediatrics, lymphoblastic leukemia was suspected. Although the morphology of the bone marrow biopsy could have suggested a lymphoblastic lymphoma, further immunochemical and immunological studies together with the study of tissue surface antigens resulted in a diagnosis of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma with an unusual presentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tonani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zecca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beluffi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiori
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paulli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Invernizzi
mesh_terms: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000209:etiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000209:etiology*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor