rhabdomyosarcoma
Meaning of rhabdomyosarcoma: Rhabdomyosarcoma is a cancer of striated muscle tissue that can occur anywhere in the body but is most common in children.
Definition of rhabdomyosarcoma
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a cancer that forms in the soft tissues of the body, arising from cells related to striated muscle, the type of muscle tissue that includes the skeletal muscles used for voluntary movement. Despite its origin in muscle related cells, rhabdomyosarcoma can develop almost anywhere in the body, including areas that do not contain fully developed skeletal muscle, such as the head, neck, urinary tract, or reproductive organs.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue cancer diagnosed in children, though it can occur at other ages as well. Symptoms depend heavily on where the tumor develops, ranging from a noticeable lump or swelling to symptoms caused by the tumor pressing on nearby structures.
Because rhabdomyosarcoma can arise in such varied locations and can appear similar to other tumors on imaging alone, confirming the diagnosis generally requires a tissue biopsy examined under a microscope, along with specialized laboratory testing to identify features characteristic of this specific cancer type.
Used in a sentence
A biopsy of the mass in the child's neck confirmed rhabdomyosarcoma.
Good to know
Rhabdomyosarcoma can develop in body areas without mature skeletal muscle, such as the bladder or head and neck, so its location alone does not rule out this specific muscle related cancer.
Word origin
Where “rhabdomyosarcoma” comes from
Formed from Greek rhabdos, meaning rod, referring to the striped appearance of the muscle cells involved, myos, meaning muscle, and sarcoma, from sarx, meaning flesh, combined with the suffix -oma, meaning tumor.