From the Archives of the AFIP - Genitourinary Rhabdomyosarcoma in Children: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common tumor of the lower genitourinary tract in children in the first 2 decades of life. Most cases of genitourinary rhabdomyosarcoma are of the embryonal histologic subtype and include tumors of the bladder, prostate, testes and paratesticular sites, penis, perineum, vagina, and uterus. The natural history, pattern of metastatic spread, treatment, and prognosis of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma vary with the anatomic site of the lesion. In children with rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder or prostate, presenting signs and symptoms include urinary or fecal retention, dysuria, urinary tract infection, and hematuria. Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma produces painless scrotal swelling, which may be ignored until the tumor has reached a large size. Vaginal tumors may manifest as a prolapsing mass in the introitus. Radiologic studies of children with genitourinary rhabdomyosarcoma reflect the nonspecific gross features of the tumor, which may be ill defined with infiltrative margins or wel...