Pediatric soft tissue sarcomas.
Soft tissue sarcomas in children are rare. Approximately 850 to 900 children and adolescents are diagnosed each year with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) or a non-RMS soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS). RMS is more common in children 14 years old and younger and NRSTS in adolescents and young adults. Infants get NRSTS, but their tumors constitute a distinctive set of histologies. Surgery is a major therapeutic modality and radiation plays a role. RMS is treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, whereas chemotherapy is reserved for the NRSTS that are high grade or unresectable. This review discusses the etiology, biology, and treatment of pediatric soft tissue sarcomas.
Oncology and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Building, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA. loebda@jhmi.edu
David M
DM
Loeb
Katherine
K
Thornton
Ori
O
Shokek
D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D018233:Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal / Q000235:genetics; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*