Rhabdomyosarcoma is a highly malignant soft tissue sarcoma that car arise in any site of the body containing striated muscle or its mesenchymal analgae. It is the most common childhood sarcoma with two peak age frequencies, one at ages 2 to 6, and one in the adolescence. The site, stage and extent of disease, and pathologic characteristics of the tumor contribute to prognostic factors that influence therapeutic decisions. The results of treatment of 52 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma, who were treated at Department of Radiation Oncology. Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center from 1976 to 1987 were retrospectively analyzed. The most frequent clinical group and primary sites were IRS group III(57.7%) and head and neck (42.3%) including orbit (11.5%) and parameningeal region(13.5%). The overall and disease free 5 year survival rate of eligible 41 patients were 31.7%, 29.3%, respectively. The complete remission(CR) rate was 50% in clinical group III and 0% in IV. Primary tumors of the orbit, clinical group I and embryonal subtype had the best prognosis. The survival rate was improved by addition of chemotherapy to operation and radiation therapy.
Adolescent ; Drug Therapy ; Head ; Humans ; Muscle, Striated ; Neck ; Orbit ; Prognosis ; Radiation Oncology ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhabdomyosarcoma* ; Sarcoma ; Survival Rate