ORBITAL RHABDOMYOSARCOMA - A 20-YEAR SURVEY IN TURKEY

Orbital rhabdomyosarcoma is the most frequently encountered primary ma lignant orbital tumor in children. Between 1970 and 1991, 68 primary o rbital rhabdomyosarcoma cases were diagnosed and treated in our clinic . Mean age at the time of diagnosis was 8.8 years. Seventy-two percent of the cases were of the embryonal type while 14% had alveolar and 14 % had botryoid tumors. Following tissue diagnosis by anterior orbitoto my, radiotherapy and multimodal chemotherapy were instituted promptly. Subtotal exenteration was used in massive orbital involvement and tot al exenteration in recurrences. Using the Kaplan-Meier method of analy sis, the survival rate was 84% at three years and 80% at five years. W hile morbidity due to the disease itself and treatment complications m ay still be a problem, the survival rates achieved in the tong term ar e promising.