Rhabdomyosarcoma involving maxilla mimicking gingival enlargement: A diagnostic challenge

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare, rapidly growing, highly aggressive malignant neoplasm, originating from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells that retain their ability to differentiate into skeletal muscle. It mainly affects children, accounts for <1% of all adult malignancies and has varied clinical presentations. The head and neck region accounts for 35%–40% of all RMS cases, of which 10%–12% cases involve the oral cavity. This report deals with a case of RMS in a 40-year-old woman, primarily involving maxillary gingiva for which she underwent excision with subsequent recurrences. The uniqueness of this case is that it reminds us of the essential clinical dictum that ‘every growth we encounter, no matter how benign it appears clinically, should be looked upon with suspicion’. Hence, proper integration of history, clinical examination and investigation is required to reach a correct diagnosis enabling early treatment, thereby preventing functional and aesthetic loss and psychological trauma.

Pediatric head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma; the role of MRI in differentiation from other common pediatric malignant head and neck tumors

“…Nevertheless, RMS originates from primitive mesenchymal cells and it can arise anywhere where striated muscle is not normally found. 1 Furthermore, RMSs generally rapidly grow with adjacent tissue infiltration 14,15 and sometimes it can be difficult to clearly discriminate the tissue compartments on MRI and thus differentiate RMSs using generally known MRI features. Distinguishing these tumors, which is important for determining different treatment management, can be difficult because of the overlapping demographics, tumor location and extent, and imaging features.…”

Oral and Dental Abnormalities Caused by a Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma Tumor Treatment: A Clinical Case Report

“…It is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in childhood and is most frequently located in the head and neck [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Weber first described RMS in 1854, as highly aggressive malignant neoplasm [9]. Even so, the diagnosis of RMS has always been a challenge, due to its varied clinical presentation and histological diversity, and its exact etiopathogenesis remains unknown [9].…”

“…Weber first described RMS in 1854, as highly aggressive malignant neoplasm [9]. Even so, the diagnosis of RMS has always been a challenge, due to its varied clinical presentation and histological diversity, and its exact etiopathogenesis remains unknown [9]. During the past years, the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of RMS has suffered several changes.…”