Results of rhabdomyosarcoma treatment in a developing country

Fifty-one children (median age: 4.5 years; 4 months-16 years) diagnosed wit h rhabdomyosarcoma were treated in our center between 1980-1999. The primar y sites were head and neck in 31.4%, the genito-urinary system in 21.6%, an d extremities in 9.8% of the patients. The histopathologic subtypes were em bryonal in 80.4%, alveolar in 9.8%, and undifferentiated in 9.8%. The major ity of the patients were considered group III (47%) and group IV (25.5%) ac cording the criteria of the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS). Primar y total tumour resection was performed in only 27.5% of the patients. The p atients were treated with assigned regimens of IRS II and IRS III protocols . Radiotherapy was applied to 92.1% of the patients. Thirty-four patients ( 66.7%) were lost to follow up, and of the remaining 17 patients, 7 patients (41.2%) died, relapse occurred in 9 patients (52.9%) and 10 patients (58.8 %) are alive. The percentage of cases lost to follow up during the first 10 years and the following 9 years of the study were 77.4% and 50%, respectiv ely. Incompliance with cancer treatment remains a major problem in developi ng countries.