[Clinical features and diagnosis of head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma: a report of 24 cases].
OBJECTIVE
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor. This study aimed to summarize the clinical features of head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma.


METHODS
Clinical data of 24 patients with head and neck rhabdomyosarcom, treated in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sun University from 1989 to 2005, were analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 24 patients, 15 (62.5%) were younger than 25; 12 (50.0%) with tumors originated from nasosinus. All patients presented with localized mass: 14 (58.3%) had large masses (>/=4 cm) at their first visit; 13 (54.2%) had clinical lymph node metastasis (cN+), and 12 (50.0%) of them were confirmed by pathology (pN+); 2 (8.3%) had distant metastasis. Of the 24 patients, 3 were at stage I, 3 at stage II, 16 at stage III and 2 at stage IV. Bone erosion was indicated by CT in 16 (66.7%) patients. Fourteen patients received immunohistochemical examination: 10 (71.4%) were HHF-35-positive, 6 (42.8%) were Desmin-positive, 9 (64.3%) were Myolobin-positive, 9 (64.3%) were Vemintin-positive. Thirteen patients were treated with multi-disciplinary treatment. The 3-year survival rate was 42.8% for those having chemotherapy as part of the treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma is usually seen in adolescents and mostly developed in the nasosinus. It usually manifests as a localized mass and has a high frequency of lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis. Chemotherapy-dominant multidisciplinary treatment is recommended for this disease.
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China.
Jia-Wei
JW
Lin
Guo-Hao
GH
Wu
Zong-Yuan
ZY
Zeng
Wen-Kuang
WK
Chen
Zhu-Ming
ZM
Guo
Quan
Q
Zhang
Hao
H
Li
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy