title: Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm.
abstract: Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm represents fewer than 0.0001% of all cancers. One case is reported, and a total of eight cases to date are reviewed. It is an adult disease of both sexes, the lowest reported age being 14 years. The tumor presents at a late stage, and the average symptom-death interval is only a few months. Early diagnosis and wide excision are essential along with radiotherapy and chemotherapy before any survival--much less worthwhile survival--can be hoped for. There is evidence of host immune response against rhabdomyosarcomas. Immunotherapy, therefore, should be considered. For assessment of the biological behavior of the tumor and the treatment, standardization of staging and grading are essential, although there is some evidence that the prognosis of primary and recurrent tumors treated radically are similar.
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. justinchatterjee@aol.com
authors.forename: Justin S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: Adele P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Debabrata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003964:Diaphragm; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019042:Muscle Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery
references.citation: J Pediatr. 1959 Nov;55:620-34
references.pmid: 13803494
references.citation: Tumori. 1975 Mar-Apr;61(2):129-50
references.pmid: 1226574
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 1971 Dec;56(6):555-8
references.pmid: 5134884
references.citation: Cancer. 1958 Jan-Feb;11(1):1-3
references.pmid: 13500286
references.citation: J Natl Med Assoc. 1988 Feb;80(2):214-7
references.pmid: 3071608
references.citation: Am J Surg Pathol. 1998 Apr;22(4):459-64
references.pmid: 9537474
references.citation: Wien Z Inn Med. 1973;54(2):78-84
references.pmid: 4588077
references.citation: Ann Med Interne (Paris). 1972 Feb;123(2):181-5
references.pmid: 5055075
references.citation: Surgery. 1952 Dec;32(6):1023-64
references.pmid: 13005336
references.citation: Rev Hosp Clin Fac Med Sao Paulo. 2002 Mar-Apr;57(2):67-72
references.pmid: 11981587
references.citation: Indian J Cancer. 1972 Mar;9(1):42-9
references.pmid: 5044708
references.citation: Cancer. 1968 Nov;22(5):956-67
references.pmid: 5686645
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1965 Jun;47:715-26
references.pmid: 14299664
references.citation: Ann Surg. 1946 Mar;123(3):447-72
references.pmid: 17858752
references.citation: Cancer. 1975 Aug;36(2):759-64
references.pmid: 1157035
references.citation: Surgery. 1962 Oct;52:572-84
references.pmid: 14484432
references.citation: Pathol Annu. 1972;7:81-106
references.pmid: 4557937