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Treatment /
What is rhabdomyosarcoma?
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells begin growing
in muscle tissue. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of a sarcoma, which means a
cancer of the bone, soft tissues, or connective tissue (e.g., tendon or
cartilage). Rhabdomyosarcoma begins in the soft tissues in a type of muscle
called striated muscle. It can occur anywhere in the body.
Several types of sarcoma are found in children and young adults.
The cancer cells must be looked at under a microscope to tell which type of
sarcoma it is. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of sarcoma found in
the soft tissues of children.
If your child has symptoms of a sarcoma, your child’s doctor may order x-rays
and other tests. Your child’s doctor may also cut out a small piece of tissue
and have it looked at under the microscope to see if there are any cancer
cells. This is called a biopsy.
Your child’s chance of recovery (prognosis) and choice of treatment depend on
where the cancer is located, how far it has spread, how the cells look under
the microscope (histology), the type of therapy administered, how much of
the cancer can be removed by surgery, and the child's age.
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Treatment
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