Genital rhabdomyosarcoma: current management and review of the literature.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in childhood and 20 per cent of these cancers involve the pelvis or genitourinary system. Radical pelvic surgery, such as exenteration, was considered at one time to be the standard treatment for this cancer which carried a very poor prognosis. Over the past 15 years, a combined modality approach to treating rhabdomyosarcoma, using chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and less radical surgery, has evolved and survival rates have improved. This paper presents a case of rhabdomyosarcoma involving the perineum which was treated by combination chemotherapy of Vincristine, Actinomycin-D, and Cytoxan, followed by wide local excision, interstitial and external beam radiotherapy, and postoperative chemotherapy. The literature on pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma is reviewed and the current approach to treating this cancer using multimodal therapy is discussed.