THE EFFECT OF AGE AT DIAGNOSIS ON OUTCOME IN RHABDOMYOSARCOMA

Background. Survival for rhabdomyosarcoma appears to be more favorable in children and adolescents compared with adults. To determine the si gnificance of age at diagnosis as a prognostic indicator in rhabdomyos arcoma, we performed a retrospective analysis of a combined pediatric and adult rhabdomyosarcoma data base. Methods. Pertinent prognostic va riables, including age, TNM stage, histopathologic subtype, anatomic s ite, resectability, radiation to the primary site, and dose intensity of chemotherapy, were compared in a Cox proportional hazards model wit h mortality as the outcome variable. Results. Age at diagnosis (P = 0. 0001) and local tumor invasiveness (P < 0.0001), distant parenchymal m etastases (P < 0.0001), regional lymph node involvement (P = 0.0027), and histopathologic subtype (P = 0.0446) contributed information to th e proportional hazards model. Conclusions. Age at diagnosis is an inde pendent predictor of outcome in patients with rhabdomyosarcoma along w ith tumor invasiveness, metastases, regional lymph node involvement, a nd histopathologic subtype.