Letter to the Editor

Primary Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Breast

Authors: Benedito Borges Da Silva, MD, PhD, Pedro Vitor Lopes-Costa, MD, Lina Gomes dos Santos, MD, Cleicilene Gomes Pires, MD, Marina Vilarinho Correa-Lima, MD, Clériston da Silva Moura, MD

Abstract

To the Editor:


Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common sarcoma of the soft tissues in children and young adults, and comprises around 5% of malignant neoplasia in this age group.1–3 Its location in the breast is rare and generally represents metastatic disease from a primary site in another part of the body.2–5 Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the breast has rarely been reported in the literature and almost always occurs in adolescent females and presents as tumors of the alveolar subtype.3,4Primary embryonal subtype is extremely rare and aggressive, and is associated with an unfavorable outcome.2–4 Considering the few cases of primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the breast reported in the literature, we would like to add one more case.

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References

1. Bianchi L, Orlandi A, Iraci S, et al. Solid alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the hand in adolescence: a clinical, histologic, immunologic, and ultrastructural study. Pediatr Dermatol 1995;12:343–347.
 
2. Herrera LJ, Lugo-Vicente H. Primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the breast in an adolescent female: a case report. J Pediatr Surg 1998;33:1582–1584.
 
3. Sheen-Chen SM, Eng HL, Ko SF. Metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma to the breast. Anticancer Res 2005;25:527–529.
 
4. Hays DM, Donaldson SS, Shimada H, et al. Primary and metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma in the breast: neoplasms of adolescent females, a report from the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study. Med Pediatr Oncol 1997;29:181–189.
 
5. Boothroyd A, Carty H. Breast masses in childhood and adolescence. A presentation of 17 cases and a review of the literature. Pediatr Radiol 1994;24:81–84.Letters to the Editor