Rhabdomyosarcoma of the clitoris

Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther 1(2) April 2008 hemoncstem.edmgr.com 133 Soft tissue sarcomas are the sixth most common malignancy in childhood and rhabdomyosarcot mas constitute about 50% of soft tissue sarcot mas. This tumor accounts for 10% to 15% of solid mat lignant tumors and 6% of all malignancies in children under 15 years of age. In the United States, the malet totfemale ratio is 1.5:1, and the tumor is twice as comt mon in whites as in AfricantAmericans. Approximately 250 new cases are diagnosed every year.1 Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant tumor of strit ated muscle but, because of its mesenchymal origin, can originate in tissue that does not normally contain striated muscle (for example, the ureter). There is a bit modal distribution of rhabdomyosarcoma with peaks between 2 and 4 years of age and 12 and 16 years of age. Nearly 80% of rhabdomyosarcoma is diagnosed by the age of 14 years. The most common primary sites for rhabdomyosarcomas include the head and neck, the genitourinary tract, and extremities. However, primary sites with a favorable prognosis include the orbit and nonparameningeal, head and neck, paratestis, the vat gina, and the biliary tract.2,3