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Rhabdomyosarcoma

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Definition:

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant (cancerous), soft tissue tumor found in children. The most common sites are the structures of the head and neck, the urogenital tract, and the arms or legs.

Alternative Names:

Soft tissue sarcoma; Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma; Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma; Sarcoma botryoides

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The cause of rhabdomyosarcoma is unknown. It is a rare tumor with only several hundred new cases per year throughout the United States. Some children with certain birth defects are at increased risk, and some families have a gene mutation that elevates risk. However, the vast majority of children with rhabdomyosarcoma do not have any known risk factors.

• Review Date: 5/26/2006
• Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.

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