[Update of orbital rhabdomyosarcoma therapy in children].
BACKGROUND
Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most frequent primitive orbital malignant tumor in children. If the treatment is started as soon as possible after discovery of the disease, the vital prognosis is considerably better than otherwise. The goal of this paper is to present the new therapeutic protocol and to report our experience in this field.


METHODS
During the past 35 years, 102 cases of orbital tumors were collected in children under 15 years of age: 5 cases of rhabdomyosarcoma were cared for in our department. At the time of tumor diagnosis, the age of our patients ranged from 3 weeks to 13 years. After a biopsy or excision biopsy, all our cases were treated by chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Medication was mostly vincristine, ifosfamide and actinomycine D. When the result of the treatment was not satisfactory, carboplatine and epirubicine, vincristine as well as ifosfamide were given. Radiotherapy was performed only in particular cases or in recurrences.


CONCLUSIONS
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a highly malignant tumor. Although rare, it is the most frequent of malignant tumors in children. It is important to keep it in mind in order to perform a biopsy enabling quick diagnosis and treatment following the modern protocol giving the highest chances of survival to these patients: about 98% in 3 years.
Ducrey
N
N
Service Universitaire d'ophtalmologie de Lausanne, Hôpital Jules Gonin, 15 avenue de France, 1004 Lausanne.
Nenadov-Beck
M
M
Spahn
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009915:Orbit / Q000473:pathology; D009918:Orbital Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
La thérapie actuelle du rhabdomyosarcome orbitaire de l'enfant.