Pediatric bladder rhabdomyosarcoma: report of organ sparing treatment of two cases

A Report of Two Cases of Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma: Diagnostic Insights From Pathology

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a family of malignant soft tissue tumors derived from undifferentiated mesoderm that fails to differentiate into skeletal muscle. Embryonal RMS (ERMS) is the most common subtype of RMS in children and adolescents, particularly those under 10 years of age. It primarily arises in the head and neck region, genitourinary tract, or extremities. Histologically, it resembles developing skeletal muscle with anaplastic features. Diagnosis relies on a combination of imaging, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular studies, with specific genetic alterations noted in the literature. Effective treatment of pediatric RMS cases requires multimodal therapy, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, to achieve a favorable prognosis. We report two cases of ERMS diagnosed within a four-month period, where immunohistochemistry and molecular studies contributed to the diagnosis.

Pediatric Bladder Tumors: A Ten-Year Retrospective Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To present our experience in a single pediatric urology practice over a ten-year period with bladder tumors in the pediatric population in an effort to add to the relatively small amount of existing data. We hope to expand the community's knowledge of presentations, management and natural history of pediatric bladder tumors.

METHODS

We retrospectively queried our electronic medical records for ICD-10 and CPT codes relevant for bladder tumors. Patients with underlying bladder pathology, such as neurogenic bladder, history of bladder exstrophy, and history of bladder augmentation, were excluded.

RESULTS

We identified 30 patients with bladder tumors from 2011 to 2021. There were 21 males and 9 females. Age at diagnosis ranged from 16 months to 19 years. Tumors identified were: 11 of various inflammatory subtypes; 4 papillomas; 4 rhabdomyosarcomas; 3 papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential (PUNLMP) and 8 of other types. Treatment included transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), chemoradiation and laparoscopic partial cystectomy. 29 patients had disease limited to the bladder and 1 had disease outside the bladder. Follow-up ranged from 2 weeks to 13 years (median 19 months). All patients had no evidence of disease at most recent follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric bladder tumors range from aggressive rhabdomyosarcomas to more benign urothelial lesions. Fortunately, the latter type of tumor is the more prevalent lesion. Knowledge of the treatment options and natural history of these tumors will hopefully be of benefit to clinicians and parents alike.

Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy for Pediatric Bladder Rhabdomyosarcoma

Background: The standard treatments for muscle-invasive bladder cancer with no metastasis are total cystectomy and urinary diversion. Although robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) was covered from April 2018 by the Japanese National Health Insurance system, and the number of RARC is increasing, there has been no pediatric case report on RARC in Japan. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 6-year-old Japanese girl who was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of a vulvar tumor protrusion during defecation. We resected the tumor from her external urethral meatus, and transurethral resection for the residual partial bladder neck tumor was performed for both a definitive diagnosis and as a possible curative therapy. The pathologic diagnosis was an embryonic type of rhabdomyosarcoma. Although she was treated by chemotherapy combined with proton therapy, a residual tumor at the neck and a new lesion at the top of bladder were observed 2 years after initial treatment. Thus, RARC was performed. The surgical specimen was placed in an end-pouch and was then removed through the incised vaginal wall, with cosmetic consideration. A bilateral cutaneous ureterostomy was performed at the sites of the working ports for urinary diversion. In the future, we plan to perform abdominal wall catheterization. Postoperatively, she was treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. There was no recurrence for 19 months. Conclusion: Because she was a child, particularly a girl, the wounds should be small and inconspicuous considering the cosmetic aspect. Although the posterior aspect of the bladder seemed difficult to detach because of the adhesions, it was possible to safely perform RARC.