LARYNGEAL RHABDOMYOSARCOMA IN ADULTS

Laryngeal rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare disease. Only nine of these tumou rs have been adequately described in world literature in the adult pop ulation. Adult patients with laryngeal rhabdomyosarcoma often present at a later stage than other laryngeal rumours, including squamous cell carcinoma. Diagnosis is made by identification of cross-striations hi stochemically or cytoplasmic myoglobin by immunohistological methods. We present a 66-year-old woman with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of he r larynx. This is the first female in the adult age group to be presen ted. Surgical treatment with adjuvant radiotherapy is currently the tr eatment of choice for this disease. We provide a review of the literat ure on laryngeal rhabdomyosarcoma, including presentation, pathology a nd management of this rare disease.