Prognosis in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma

Abstract

Survival data on 78 children with rhabdomyosarcoma indicated that age, histology, primary site, extent of disease, and treatment each had a significant influence on prognosis. The best survival occurred in patients with sarcoma botryoides, the poorest with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, and the intermediate with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Tumors of the orbit had the best prognosis and tumors of other structures of the head and neck had the worst prognosis. Children under 7 years of age had better survival curves than those older than 7 years. The median duration of survival for the entire group was 19.2 months (5-year survival rate of 35%). The median duration of survival among 54 children with localized disease was 53.3 months; none of the 24 children with extensive or metastatic disease at diagnosis survived as long as 30 months.