Presence of well-differentiated rhabdomyoblasts at the end of therapy for pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma: implications for the outcome. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2000;22(2):106-11
Date
04/25/2000Pubmed ID
10779022DOI
10.1097/00043426-200003000-00005Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0034458293 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 38 CitationsAbstract
The presence of well-differentiated rhabdomyoblasts at the end of therapy for rhabdomyosarcoma has been noted. This study was undertaken to investigate the therapeutic implications of the presence of well-differentiated rhabdomyoblasts at the end of therapy for pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma. Six patients with pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma (bladder-prostate, 4; vulvovaginal, 2) with disease diagnosed between the years 1974 and 1992 were sequentially investigated by cystoscopic or vaginoscopic examination and biopsy during and after completing therapy. All six patients received treatment according to prevailing therapeutic protocols. Biopsy material from all six patients at the end of therapy documented the presence of well-differentiated rhabdomyoblasts. Repeated biopsies demonstrated the presence of rhabdomyoblasts; however, they appeared to decrease in number with time. Mitotic activity was not observed in the biopsy materials obtained. All six patients are alive without evidence of disease from 37 to 233 months after therapy ended. The presence of well-differentiated rhabdomyoblasts at the end of therapy for pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma is a common finding. The biologic nature of these well-differentiated rhabdomyoblasts is not completely known, but they do not appear to connote the persistent presence of malignant disease and are not an indication for the continuation of therapy.
Author List
Ortega JA, Rowland J, Monforte H, Malogolowkin M, Triche TMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCell Differentiation
Child, Preschool
Cyclophosphamide
Dactinomycin
Female
Humans
Male
Pelvic Neoplasms
Prostatic Neoplasms
Radiography
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Urinary Bladder Neoplasms
Vaginal Neoplasms
Vincristine
Vulvar Neoplasms
