[Sarcoma botryoïde of the uterine cervix: report of a case]

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the cervix in teenagers - Is fertility preservation a feasible option?

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Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the cervix.

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Subtypes of embryonal RMS.

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Disease of adolescence.

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Fertility preservation.

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Lack of standard treatment.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the cervix is a rare entity, encountered mainly in the first two decades of life. The literature consists mainly of case reports and few small case series, and no standard treatment guidelines are available. As this is a disease of adolescence, fertility preservation in well selected cases is of paramount importance. We report 3 cases of cervical RMS, in adolescents highlighting the clinical presentation, diagnosis and management.

[A rare cases of rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterine cervix: about a case and review of the literature]

Le rhabdomyosarcome du col utérin fait partie des types histologiques rares des cancers du col, qu'on observe généralement chez la jeune fille ou la femme en période d'activité générale. La stratégie thérapeutique se base sur l'association des trois modalités thérapeutiques (chimiothérapie-radiothérapie-chirurgie) vu l'agressivité de la maladie. Nous rapporterons ainsi un cas de rhabdomyosarcome du col utérin chez une fille de 20 ans. Il s'agit d'une patiente âgée de 20 ans, rapportant comme antécédents pathologique particulier la notion d'infection génitale à répétition. Le premier signe rapporté était des métrorragies abondantes avec à l'examen la présence d'une masse cervicale en grappe de raisin. La biopsie était en faveur d'un rhabdomyosarcome du col. Le bilan d'extension montrait une masse localement avancée sans métastase. La patiente a reçu 5 cures de VAC avec une régression du processus tumoral de 90%. Patiente fut opérée et a bénéficié d'une hystérectomie sans conservation des annexes. Puis elle a bénéficié d'une radiothérapie postopératoire sur le pelvis. Le recul était de 13 mois, la patiente est toujours en rémission complète. Le RMS du col utérin est une tumeur rare qui survit essentiellement chez la jeune fille. L'extension est surtout locorégionale. Le traitement consiste en un geste chirurgical allant d'un éventuel traitement conservateur jusqu'au traitement radical associé à une chimiothérapie péri-opératoire. La place de la radiothérapie demeure imprécise.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the cervix presenting as a cervical polyp in a 16-year-old adolescent: a case report

INTRODUCTION

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the female genital tract is rare in the cervix. It has been mainly discussed in the context of individual case studies. It tends to occur in children and young women. Treatment ranges from radical surgery to conservative surgery, followed by chemotherapy.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 16-year-old Moroccan adolescent girl presented to our center with a protruding mass from her vaginal introitus, as a polyp of 6cm. An examination revealed a polyp within her vagina, thought to be arising from her cervix and a polypectomy was performed. Microscopic findings are consistent with an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (botryoide type). A computed tomography of her thorax, abdomen and pelvis were performed and residual disease was found as a mass located at her cervix, which measured approximately 4.5cm in its widest dimensions, without evidence of metastatic disease. Due to the fact that she is young, after discussions in a multidisciplinary meeting, she was subsequently treated with four cycles of multi-agent chemotherapy. Two cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy were administered due to the lack of response, but she presented vaginal bleeding with persistence of the same mass in computed tomography. Hence a total interadnexal hysterectomy was made. A histologic examination found residual embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (botryoide type) located in all her cervix and she is currently under chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of a cervical polyp in an adolescent is a gynecologic oddity and must necessarily be examined histologically because it might be a rhabdomyosarcoma. This is extremely important because diagnosis at an early stage of the disease is a highly favorable prognostic factor that allows "fertility-sparing surgery" for these young patients.