Radiotherapy and adjuvant combination chemotherapy for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma.

Abstract

The treatment of children with rhabdomyosarcoma by a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy has resulted in an improved disease-free survival time. Of 11 children with regional disease eight (72"o) remained well, with no evidence of disease, four to 36 months after diagnosis. Chemotherapy for one year with vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide was well tolerated during and after radical radiotherapy and surgery. The natural history of this malignancy has been altered in these patients when compared with that in a historical group of 17 children, only two of whom remain alive. There has been no serious short-term toxicity so far.

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the maxillary antrum in an adult

“…A poor prognosis is associated with nasal and paranasal rhabdomyosarcoma because extensive local disease is usually found at the time of diagnosis, making surgical excision difficult or impossible and because these tumours have often metastasized already when treatment is initiated (Fu and Perzin, 1976). Reports in the literature (Malpas et al, 1976) have presented encouraging results in the therapy of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma, especially in those of the orbit, using combined surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, similar to that given in this case. The effects of such a combined regime may improve the results for adult rhabdomyosarcoma.…”