Management of stage I cervical sarcoma botryoides in childhood and adolescence

Eur J Pediatr. 2004 Aug;163(8):452-6. doi: 10.1007/s00431-004-1469-y. Epub 2004 Jun 2.

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcomas are the most common soft tissue sarcomas in childhood. The botryoid variant arises in infancy from the vagina or urinary bladder and extremely rarely from the uterine cervix. Treatment regimes range from local excision of the tumour to radical hysterectomy with adjuvant multidrug therapy and/or radiotherapy. In cases of minimal cervical invasion, the less invasive local excision in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy has resulted in excellent survival rates with complete functional preservation of the bladder, rectum, vagina, and ovaries. We present here a 30-year literature review and a case report of a cervical sarcoma botryoides in a 5-year-old girl.

Conclusion: based on the literature review and our own observation, we recommend minor surgical approaches in combination with chemotherapy as the treatment of choice for early stage I cervical rhabdomyosarcoma.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Child, Preschool
  • Dactinomycin / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ifosfamide / therapeutic use
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal / pathology*
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal / therapy*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Vincristine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Dactinomycin
  • Vincristine
  • Ifosfamide