Orofacial rhabdomyosarcoma in neonates and young children: a review of literature and management of four cases

Congenital Tumors-Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings with Focus on Rare Tumors

Congenital tumors are rare and, owing to this rarity, there is limited information on many of them. A total of 839 fetal and postnatal MRI studies performed in the first 3 months of life were retrospectively reviewed. They were performed with the use of 1.5 T scanners. Seventy-six tumors were diagnosed based on fetal MRI between 20 and 37 gestational weeks, and 27 were found after birth, from 1 day of age to 3 months of life. Teratomas were the most common tumors in our dataset, mainly in the sacrococcygeal region (SCT), followed by cardiac rhabdomyomas and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGA) associated with TSC, and neuroblastomas. The group of less common tumors consisted of infantile fibrosarcomas, malignant rhabdoid tumors, mesoblastic nephromas and Wilms tumor, craniopharyngiomas, brain stem gliomas, desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma, choroid plexus carcinoma, glioblastoma, hemangiopericytoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, melanoma, mesenchymal hamartomas of the chest wall and the liver, and juvenile xanthogranuloma, with special consideration of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome. MRI plays a significant role in further and better characterization of congenital tumors, leading to a correct diagnosis in many cases, which is crucial for pregnancy and neonatal management and psychological preparation of the parents. No diagnosis is impossible and can be absolutely excluded.

Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Tongue in Adults

(1) Background: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in the first two decades of life. One third of cases appear in the head and neck, with 60% of these being embryonal type. RMS is extremely rare in adults, comprising only 1% of adult malignancies, and of those, only 3.3% are rhabdomyosarcomas. (2) Case report: A 46 y.o. male presented with a 1 cm exophytic pediculated painless lesion on the dorsum of his tongue, with progressive growth for 3 months. An excisional biopsy revealed an "embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma with fusocellular areas, with negative rearrangement for gen FOXO1A, negative MDM2 (only focal positivity), and positive INI-1". Subsequent contrast-enhanced MRI concluded the presence of a lesion with imprecise margins in the right half-tongue, 15 × 8 × 7 mm (longitudinal × transverse × craniocaudal), compatible with a sarcoma. The patient underwent a partial centrolingual glossectomy followed by reconstruction with a buccinator muscle local flap. After surgery, he received chemotherapy with eight cycles of VAC (vincristine, actinomycin, and cyclophosphamide) protocol. The patient is now disease free after 42 months, with good tongue function. (3) Discussion and conclusions: Embryonal RMS is an extremely rare sarcoma in adults, and the location in the tongue is even more exceptional (only two more similar cases are reported in the literature). The prognosis in adults is significantly poorer than in children. A complete margin-free resection with an adequate chemotherapy protocol is the treatment of choice in cases such as these.

Total external ophthalmoplegia and orbital apex syndrome as first presenting feature of Rhabdomyosarcoma involving petrous part of the temporal bone: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) can have various unusual presentations. We report an unusual presentation of RMS as orbital apex syndrome in a six-year-old boy involving the petrous part of the temporal bone.

CASE PRESENTATION

A six-year-old boy presented with drooping of the left eyelid for seven days associated with headache, left-sided hearing loss, and nasal blockage. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) brain and orbit revealed an ill-defined expansile vascular lesion centered at the petrous part of the left temporal bone with extension to the cavernous sinus, which was confirmed as RMS on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. The patient was managed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

RMS is the most common aggressive malignant soft tissue tumor in the pediatric population. It accounts for 4-8 % of all malignancies in children below 15 years of age, with strong male preponderance. The most common site for RMS is head and neck (45 %), having maximum incidence during the first decade of life.

CONCLUSION

Total external ophthalmoplegia in a child is an acute emergency; it should be properly worked up, and neuroimaging should always be advised. Prompt diagnosis and management by a multidisciplinary team can be both life and sight-saving.

Case report: Clinical features and prognosis of two Infants with rhabdomyosarcoma of the tongue

Background

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue tumor in children, and its most common pathological types include embryonal RMS and alveolar RMS. In contrast, spindle cell RMS (SRMS) is a rare type. Moreover, the tongue is a rare primary site of RMS, and infancy is a rare age at onset.

Case presentation

Two infants were diagnosed with lingual RMS at 3 and 5 months after birth, respectively, and were admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital. The pathological type in both cases was SRMS. Both were classified as low-risk and were treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Case 1 was in complete remission at the latest follow-up, and Case 2 had a relapse 10 months after stopping chemotherapy, achieving complete remission after the multimodal treatment of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. The venous blood gene test of the two infants did not indicate a pathogenic mutation or a possible pathogenic mutation related to RMS. In Case 1, variants of the CDK4 and BRCA1 genes, both with unknown significance and a possible relation to RMS, were detected. In Case 2, three gene variants of unknown significance that were possibly associated with RMS-TRIP13, APC, and RAD54L-were identified.

Conclusion

Lingual RMS in infants is rare. Its clinical manifestations lack specificity, and early recognition is complex. The success and timing of local treatment are important prognostic factors. Genetic testing may be helpful for the early detection of tumor susceptibility and the estimation of prognosis.

Primary Pulmonary Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report With Literature Review

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare soft tissue tumor originating from skeletal muscle that is mostly reported in children. The most common sites of involvement are the head, neck, and extremities. The 2020 WHO classification divide RMS into four types: embryonal, alveolar, pleomorphic, and spindle cell/sclerosing. Reports of RMS with primary lung origin are rare. We present a case of RMS in a 16-month-old boy who presented with a lung mass and microscopic examination with fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed the diagnosis of alveolar RMS. In conclusion, RMS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any lung mass with small round blue cell morphology in the microscopic evaluation and should be distinguished from metastatic RMS of other sites, pleuropulmonary blastoma, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)/EWING, and malignant peripheral nerve sheet tumors (MPNST).

Epithelioid rhabdomyosarcoma: Report of the first case in the jaw

OBJECTIVES

Epithelioid rhabdomyosarcoma (EpiRMS) is a novel morphologically distinct variant of rhabdomyosarcoma, with an unusually challenging microscopic diagnosis. The occurrence of rhabdomyosarcomas in the jaws is extremely rare. This study presents the first case of EpiRMS in the jaw (mandible) and a literature review of the previous 35 cases of EpiRMS.

STUDY DESIGN

Here, we report a case of EpiRMS affecting an 18-year-old male patient. Clinical, imaging, microscopic, and immunohistochemical features are discussed and previously reported cases of EpiRMS are reviewed.

RESULTS

An 18-year-old male patient presented with an exophytic sessile growth on the buccal gingiva, and orthopantomography revealed irregular bone loss. Microscopic analysis showed a large number of cells with epithelioid appearance. Immunohistochemistry staining was positive for desmin, myogenin, MyoD1, smooth muscle actin, h-caldesmon, INI-1, and AE1-AE3. The patient's disease was staged as T4aN1M0 and was treated with surgical excision combined with chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of RMS in the mandible is rare, and this is the first case of EpiRMS in the jaw. EpiRMS is an unusual histologic subtype that mimics other sarcomas and epithelial malignancies, making diagnosis a challenge. A specific immunohistochemistry panel aids in the diagnosis. EpiRMS has an aggressive course and an unfavorable prognosis.

Infantile anterior maxillary swelling: A diagnostician's dilemma

Anterior maxillary swellings are commonly encountered in the adolescents and adults and they represent lesions ranging from cysts to tumors which can be both benign as well as malignant. However the anterior maxillary swellings are a rare phenomenon in the infants and toddlers and they generally are indicative of an aggressive lesion. We hereby present a case of a rapidly growing infantile swelling which was histopathologically diagnosed as Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma.

Unusual exophytic gingival lesion in a newborn treated with diode laser

Gingival lesions rarely occur in newborns. However, when present, they commonly worry the parents and impair the infant's feeding, thus affecting growth. Such lesions are usually nonneoplastic in nature, although malignancies may develop; therefore, specimens must be submitted for histopathologic examination. A 2-month-old girl presented with a 10-mm nodule on the anterior lower alveolar ridge in association with natal tooth extraction and neonatal tooth eruption. The lesion was excised with high-power laser under local anesthesia, and a histopathologic diagnosis of a peripheral ossifying fibroma was made. In addition to peripheral ossifying fibromas being rare in newborns, the use of high-power lasers for surgical procedures in newborns have been proven to be safe, comfortable, and efficient.

Oropharyngeal Rhabdomyosarcoma with cranial nerve paralysis in a limited resource setting: a case report and review of literature

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a tumor of skeletal muscle origin, is the most common soft tissue sarcoma encountered in childhood and adolescence; it is primarily found in the head and neck region, it is relatively uncommon tumors of the oral cavity. Clinical signs depend on the exact location of the lesion in the oral cavity and its development. Authors reported the case of a 14-year-old patient who presented an oropharyngeal mass causing voice dysfunction, after two surgical operation the patient experimented two 2 recurrences of the lesion. The histopathological examination objectifies an oropharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma. Immediate postoperative outcome was uneventful with improvement in the voice dysfunction and dysphagia one month after surgery. Complementary treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) was not available and accessible to the patient. Twenty months (20) after surgery, the examination found a recurrence of the tumor with pulmonary metastases and neurological complications. Oropharyngeal rhabdomyosarcomas are rare. Their interest lies in the fact that they often affect children and adolescents. The prognosis remains unfavorable in our context, even for cases accessible to surgery since complementary treatment with chemotherapy and / or radiotherapy does not exist. The prognosis depends on tumor size, location, staging, age of patients and especially the quality of the management.

Rabdomyosarcoma of the Mandible: An Uncommon Clinical Presentation

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children and adolescents. Most patients present with a mass in the head and neck region, urogenital region, or with distal extremity involvement. The authors describe a challenging case of a 6-year-old male patient presenting with mandibular RMS. The clinical/radiographic/tomographic evaluations classified the tumor as an advanced stage (stage IV), with a mass of 6.0 cm involving the left side of the mandible and parotid region. The biopsy revealed round, spindled, and pleomorphic cells with hyperchromatic nuclei and rare larger rhabdomyoblasts with eosinophilic cytoplasm. The diagnosis was of embryonal RMS. The patient was referred for treatment with cycles of chemotherapy; however, pulmonary and bone marrow metastasis were identified. Radiotherapy and local surgery with microvascular reconstruction were performed later; however, the patient died after a few months. Early diagnosis is critical for a good prognosis and cure of patients with RMS. Correct diagnosis considering also the histological subtype is important for adequate treatment, which according to the literature is not uniform probably because of the rarity of this neoplasm.

Clinicopathological analysis of head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma: A series of 10 cases and literature review

Background

To describe the clinicopathological characteristics of a series of head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and to review the literature.

Material and Methods

Cases diagnosed as RMS affecting the head and neck region were retrospectively retrieved from the files of two Brazilian institutions from January 2006 to January 2017. Data on clinical features (sex, age and affected site), microscopic subtype, immunohistochemical results, treatment employed and follow-up status were obtained from the patient’s medical charts.

Results

During the period considered, 10 cases of RMS were identified. Females predominated (4M:6F), the mean age at diagnosis was 16.5 years-old and the orbit was the most affected site (4 cases). Microscopically, most cases were classified as embryonal RMS (6 cases) and the Desmin/Myogenin/Myo-D1 immunohistochemical positivity was useful to confirm the diagnosis. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were applied to 9 and 8 patients respectively, whereas 2 patients were treated by surgery. Recurrences occurred in 3 patients and distant metastasis in 2 cases. Nine patients were alive in their last follow-up, 3 of them with disease, whereas 1 patient died due to the disease.

Conclusions

Head and neck RMS is an aggressive malignant neoplasm which demands especial concern to achieve early diagnosis and successful treatment.

Key words:Rhabdomyosarcoma, soft tissue tumors, head and neck, oral cavity, chemotherapy.

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the maxillary gingiva

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant skeletal muscle neoplasm. The tumor is much more common in children, and the most frequent site is head and neck region. Since this tumor is less frequent than other neoplasms in oral cavity, the clinicians sometimes ignore it, working the patients up. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a high-grade malignancy with poor prognosis. Considering the aggressive behavior and various clinical or histopathologic presentations of the tumor, early diagnosis has a significant impact on the treatment outcome and prognosis of the patients. We highlight the importance of combining the clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic examination to obtain a definitive diagnosis in sarcomas of the head and neck region, especially rhabdomyosarcoma. A case of rhabdomyosarcoma of the maxillary gingiva is presented in a 32-year-old woman in which the primary incisional biopsy was erroneously interpreted as an inflammatory process and consequently, the accurate diagnosis postponed for about 10 months.

Up-To-Date Practical Imaging Evaluation of Neonatal Soft-Tissue Tumors: What Radiologists Need to Know

OBJECTIVE

The purposes of this article are to provide an up-to-date overview of neonatal soft-tissue tumors, including information regarding their unique nature, and to present practical imaging techniques and characteristic imaging findings.

CONCLUSION

Neonatal soft-tissue tumors are a unique set of neoplasms that often have characteristic clinical and imaging findings. Imaging evaluation, mainly with ultrasound and MRI, plays an important role in the initial diagnosis, staging, preoperative assessment, and follow-up evaluation. Clear understanding of practical imaging techniques combined with up-to-date knowledge of characteristic imaging findings can help the radiologist provide a timely and accurate diagnosis of these neoplasms and can lead to optimal neonatal patient care.

Giant Sclerosing Oral Rhabdomyosarcoma-A Unique Case

We present a case of oral Rhabdomyosarcoma in a 50 years old man presenting with a huge mass in the oral cavity. Pre operative investigations showed the mass to be Rhabdomyosarcoma. The mass was excised and subjected to histopathogical and immunohistochemical examinations which confirmed to be Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Advanced Orofacial Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Retrospective Study of 31 Cases

INTRODUCTION

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma encountered in childhood and adolescence. Early diagnosis of pediatric cases is critical to improving outcomes, especially when socioeconomic status and geographical access to specialist services can reduce opportunities for early cancer detection and treatment.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to determine factors that can delay referral and treatment in specialist pediatric oncology center upon our population specificities.

METHODS

This retrospective study involved 31 children between 2003 and 2013. Children affected by histologically confirmed RMS occurring as a primary lesion in the orofacial area were included.

RESULTS

The median age was 8 ± 4.22 years (range: 3 months - 15 years). The male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Most of the patients had advanced stage disease at presentation (81.7% group had 3-4 pretreatment staging) with parameningeal involvement in 80.6% of the cases. The 2-year event-free survival rate was 17.7 ± 7.8% for all the patients. Delay of admission to our unit and abandonment of treatment seem to be important factors for the dismal prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Patient's location, socioeconomic status and health care coverage have had an impact on longer delays in seeking care and on follow-up. More studies are needed for implementation of a better management practices and a better supportive care upon specificities of our population.

Let's face it - 13 unusual causes of facial masses in children

Facial swelling is commonly encountered in paediatric patients and is typically related to an underlying infection. The spectrum of possible causes, however, is wide, and includes traumatic, inflammatory, nutritional and neoplastic aetiologies. In this pictorial essay we present 13 examples of rare conditions selected from a total of 136 MRI examinations performed at our institution between April 2007 and May 2013. These include HIV-associated malignancies such as a case of plasmablastic lymphoma, parotid gland tumours including a parotid hamartoma, rare congenital lesions such as a thyroid fetiform teratoma, and infective lesions including tuberculosis of the mandible. In many cases, only minimal information could be gleaned from the literature, particularly with regard to imaging findings. An analysis of the spectrum of masses and specific clinical presentations allowed for the construction of a diagnostic flowchart which may serve to assist in unusual cases.

TEACHING POINTS

• Facial swelling is commonly encountered in paediatrics, with a wide spectrum of possible aetiologies. • MRI is the favoured imaging modality for accurate assessment. • Facial swelling is typically infectious in nature, but includes various benign and malignant causes. • This pictorial essay presents 13 examples of rare conditions with corresponding imaging.

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the upper lip in an adult patient

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a high-grade, malignant mesenchymal neoplasm. These tumors represent the most common soft tissue sarcomas of children and adolescents. RMS is uncommon on the lip and it is rarely seen in adults. Here, we report a rare case of primary RMS, embryonal type, occurring on the upper lip in a 27-year-old female.

Rhabdomyosarcoma in a pediatric patient: A rare case report

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a tumor of skeletal muscle origin, is the second most common soft tissue sarcoma encountered in childhood after osteosarcoma. The common sites of occurrence are the head and neck region, genitourinary tract, retroperitoneum, and to a lesser extent, the extremities. Site predilections in the oral cavity are a soft palate, maxillary sinus and alveolus, posterior mandibular region, cheek and lip, and possibly tongue. RMS is a highly malignant tumor with extensive local invasions and early hemorrhagic and lymphatic dissemination. Despite aggressive approaches incorporating surgery, dose-intensive combination chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, the outcome for patients with metastatic disease remains poor. Here, we report a case of oral RMS in a 1-year-old child and describe the clinical, radiological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical findings.

Oral rhabdomyosarcoma-embryonal subtype in an adult: A rarity

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant tumor composed of neoplastic mesenchymal cells, with varying degrees of striated muscle cell differentiation. With most cases occurring in children younger than 10 years, it is remarkably rare in adults. Further in adults, the typical pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma variants (embryonal and alveolar sub-types) occur less frequently and exhibit predilection for viscera followed by the head and neck region. A rare case of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma arising from the buccal mucosa in a 36-year old male patient is herewith reported. Recognition of the correct diagnosis and histological sub-type is of critical importance in the therapy of this disease, since the treatment is not uniform in the literature because of the rarity of this neoplasm in the adult population.

A rare case of congenital rhabdomyosarcoma with review of the literature

We present a rare case of rhabdomyosarcoma of lip in a neonate with multiple lesions within the head and necksub site hitherto unreported in the medical literature. This case report also reviews the scant medical literature on neonatal rhabdomyosarcoma.

Cytogenetics of primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the cheek

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common malignant soft tissue tumour of childhood and has two main subtypes: embryonal and alveolar. The embryonal subtype accounts for most cases in the genitourinary tract and head and neck. Oral presentations are rare, and mainly in the tongue, palate, or cheek. Cytogenetically, alveolar RMS is characterised by the translocation t(2;13)(q35;q14), which plays an important part in diagnosis, but no consistent and unique genetic alterations have been identified in embryonal RMS. It is currently not known whether oral embryonal RMS is similar to those that arise from other sites, as only one cytogenetic report has been published to date. We present the case of a 9-year-old boy with embryonal RMS of the cheek, and discuss the cytogenetic alterations in his case.

An antenatally diagnosed rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder treated without extensive surgery

BACKGROUND

A female fetus was followed up from week 30 of gestation after bilateral hydroureteronephrosis and a large pelvic mass were detected on fetal imaging. At birth, the patient had high respiratory rate, a palpable bladder up to the umbilicus and a large pelvic mass, which compressed the anorectal wall.

INVESTIGATIONS

Fetal ultrasonography, fetal magnetic resonance urography, pelvic examination, full hematologic investigation, blood culture, abdominal and pelvic ultrasonography, voiding cystourethrography, abdominal and pelvic spiral CT, measurement of serum tumor marker levels, pathologic examination of the excised specimen, pelvic MRI.

DIAGNOSIS

Botryoid subtype of rhabdomyosarcoma occupying most of the bladder and protruding through the urethra, with bilateral hydroureteronephrosis.

MANAGEMENT

Catheterization on the second day of life improved the patient's renal function, but her general condition remained unstable and surgical intervention was deferred. On the fourth day, gross hematuria and decreased urinary output were observed, which rapidly progressed to anuria, and she underwent transurethral resection of the protruding part of the tumor and bilateral cutaneous ureterostomy. Subsequently, she received chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin D and ifosfamide, and was followed up with serial imaging. At 18 months, MRI showed no evidence of residual tumor, and cystoscopic biopsy confirmed the absence of viable tumor; chemotherapy was stopped. She had no sign of recurrence 24 months after ending chemotherapy.

Orofacial tumors in Libyan children and adolescents. A descriptive study of 213 cases

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the relative frequency of orofacial tumors and tumor like lesions in Libyan children and adolescents, and compare our findings with reports in the literature.

METHODS

A total of 213 cases of tumors and tumor like lesions were seen in patients aged 18 years and less during a period of 17 years.

RESULTS

There were 8 cases (3.7%) of malignant tumors in our study, 35 cases (16.4%) of benign odontogenic tumors and 170 cases (89%) of benign tumors and tumor like lesions of orofacial region were seen in this study. orofacial tumors are not uncommon among the Libyan children and adolescents.

CONCLUSION

A slightly lower incidence of malignant tumors was observed as a result of the less number of cases of Burkitt's lymphoma, in comparison to other reports from Africa.

Clinico-epidemiological analysis of orofacial rhabdomyosarcoma in a Nigerian population

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant soft tissue neoplasm, with varying degrees of striated muscle cell differentiation and a relative predilection for the head and neck region. The objectives of this study were to determine the clinical and histological patterns of RMS, to assess the sociodemographic profile of reported RMS cases, and to highlight the management challenges and outcomes of these cases in a country lacking resources such as Nigeria. Patients diagnosed with RMS, based on clinical and histological evaluation, and recorded in the cancer registry of two maxillofacial centres in Nigeria were reviewed. 21 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. Their ages ranged from 24 days to 42 years. In all of them multiple anatomical sites were involved. The primary site of the lesion could not be determined. Embryonal and alveolar subtypes were mainly found in the maxilla. There was no statistically significant association between the site of the lesion and the histological type (p=0.39). The patients' age was statistically significantly associated with the histological type (p=0.008). Most patients reported at an advanced stage, contributing to the poor prognosis and management outcome of cases evaluated.

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the maxillary gingiva

BACKGROUND

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant neoplasm of primitive mesenchyme exhibiting skeletal muscle differentiation. Oral rhabdomyosarcoma is rare and accounts for only 0.04% of all head and neck malignancies.

METHODS

A 33-year-old woman presented with an erythematous gingival mass involving the anterior maxillary gingiva. The lesion had been present for > or =13 months before presentation, and in recent months, it had become intermittently painful.

RESULTS

Clinical examination exhibited erythema and enlargement of the interdental papillae between the left maxillary canine, lateral incisor, and central incisor. The tissue was boggy and tender on palpation. Incisional biopsies were performed, and microscopic examination showed a cellular proliferation of spindle-shaped to ovoid cells with hyperchromatic, enlarged, and pleomorphic nuclei. Many of the tumor cells exhibited abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical stains showed the tumor cells to be positive for desmin, myogenin, and myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD1). A diagnosis of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma was made. The patient was treated by surgical resection with postoperative chemotherapy and radiation. The patient had no evidence of disease at a follow-up examination 1 month after completion of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral rhabdomyosarcoma can develop insidiously. Pain is a variable presenting symptom, and early lesions may be mistaken for benign neoplastic, inflammatory, or infectious processes. Over several decades, a multidisciplinary treatment approach that includes surgical removal if resectable, in combination with multiagent chemotherapy and possibly radiation therapy, has improved survival rates.

Malignant orofacial neoplasms in children and adolescents: a clinicopathologic review of cases in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to determine the relative frequency of orofacial malignant neoplasm in children and adolescents.

METHODS

A retrospective review of malignant orofacial tumours in children and adolescents <or=19 years from January 1992 to December 2003 from the records of the Department of Oral Pathology and Biology of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria was carried out. All the cases were analysed for age, gender, site distribution and histologic types.

RESULTS

A total of 353 tumours and tumour-like lesions of the orofacial region were seen in patients <or=19 years during the period of the study. Of these, 47 (13.3%) were malignant tumours. This represented 3.3% (47 out of 1431) of all the tumours and tumour-like lesions seen during the period. The mean age (S.D.) of patients was 11.0 (+/-4.5) years (range, 2.5-19 years). Male-to-female ratio was 2.9:1. Burkitt's lymphoma (38.3%) was the most frequent malignant tumours. Lymphomas (53.2%) were the most common malignancy, followed by sarcomas (36.2%) and carcinomas (10.6%). Carcinomas exclusively affected patients in the 2nd decade of life and were predominantly glandular carcinomas. Osteosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma were the most common sarcomas. Burkitt's lymphoma (72%) occurring mostly in the first decade of life was the most common lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Malignant neoplasm constituted 13.3% of orofacial tumours and tumour-like lesions in children and adolescent in our centre. In agreement with previous reports from Africa, Burkitt's lymphoma is the most common malignant tumour and carcinoma is relative rare in this age group.

Rabdomiosarcoma botrioides congénito de vulva

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most frequent malignant soft tissue tumor in pediatric patients; however, the vulvar location and congenital appearance are exceptional. We present the case of a newborn girl with botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma of the vulva, treated with chemotherapy, conservative surgery and autologous transplant. Botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma is a variation of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma that typically grows in mucosa-lined hollow organs, from where it can spread to the body surface. The treatment of botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma in the genito-urinary area is based on polychemotherapy, and it can be complemented with radiotherapy and conservative surgery if necessary, thus resulting in an excellent prognosis and few long-term functional sequelae.

Lumps and Bumps on the Head in Children: Use of CT and MR Imaging in Solving the Clinical Diagnostic Dilemma

Lumps and bumps of the scalp are a common presenting complaint in children and often pose a diagnostic dilemma. These lesions can be difficult to image, with evaluation confounded by their small size. However, accuracy in diagnosis is critical because the diagnostic and therapeutic implications can vary significantly. The clinical examination can be helpful in developing the differential diagnosis and the imaging strategy. Often, however, a single imaging study is insufficient, and the radiologist finds it necessary to image with more than one modality to correctly diagnose a lesion and provide adequate information for the surgeon. Radiography and ultrasonography are often the initial screening diagnostic tests, followed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or computed tomography (CT) for more detail. Multidetector thin-section CT and thin-section MR imaging with surface coils are beneficial in the work-up of these small lesions of the head and neck. The use of newer MR imaging sequences such as heavily T2-weighted single-shot turbo spin-echo imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging can improve the characterization of difficult lesions. Familiarity with the variety of new imaging tools and techniques that are available can help characterize pediatric head and neck lesions and guide clinical management.