ERMS
Meaning of ERMS: ERMS is an abbreviation for embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, the most common soft tissue cancer diagnosed in infants and young children.
Definition of ERMS
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, abbreviated ERMS, is a cancer that forms in soft tissue related to skeletal muscle and is the most common soft tissue cancer diagnosed in infants and young children. It most often develops in the head and neck region or in the genitourinary tract, though it can arise in other locations as well.
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma gets its name from the resemblance its cells bear to immature muscle cells found in a developing embryo, distinguishing it under the microscope from other subtypes of rhabdomyosarcoma, such as alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, which tend to behave differently and are generally diagnosed in older children and adolescents.
Because the specific subtype of rhabdomyosarcoma affects prognosis and treatment planning, distinguishing ERMS from other subtypes through tissue biopsy and specialized laboratory testing is an important step after a tumor is first identified.
Used in a sentence
Biopsy of the mass in the child's bladder confirmed ERMS.
Good to know
ERMS generally carries a more favorable outlook than the alveolar subtype of rhabdomyosarcoma, so identifying the specific subtype on biopsy meaningfully changes how the tumor is evaluated and discussed.