Dr. Francisco Bengoa
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Soft-tissue tumors

Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma

Soft tissueMalignant / sarcomaSkeletal muscle tumours

Epidemiology

A rare sarcoma of adults, usually in the deep tissues of the limbs. In adults it behaves differently from the pediatric subtypes and is usually treated as a high-grade soft-tissue sarcoma.

Basic features

It is high-grade and must be distinguished from other pleomorphic sarcomas through specialized pathology studies.

Usual treatment

Wide resection and radiotherapy are common; chemotherapy is decided on a case-by-case basis. Before chemotherapy starts it is worth discussing fertility preservation with the team, because some of these treatments can affect it and the options have to be raised beforehand.

Outcomes and prognosis

It is a high-grade sarcoma of adults with an unfavorable prognosis; it carries a risk of metastasis and recurrence and requires the follow-up appropriate for a high-grade sarcoma.

Warning signs

These signs do not necessarily mean cancer, but they warrant evaluation before operating on or needling a mass.

  • A soft-tissue mass that grows, is larger than 5 cm, or is deep.
  • Persistent, night-time or progressive bone pain, especially if it limits activity.
  • A fracture from minimal trauma, or an aggressive bone lesion on an X-ray.
  • A lump that comes back after previous surgery.
  • Neurological symptoms, rapid swelling, or pain associated with a mass.

This information is general and does not replace a medical evaluation. A musculoskeletal tumor must be interpreted together with imaging, physical examination, biopsy when appropriate and each patient's context.

Specialist evaluation

If you have a mass, a bone lesion or a report suggesting a tumor, book an evaluation.

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