Primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of long bone. Case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

We report a case of primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of long bone, presenting as a lytic destructive bone tumor in the right femoral diaphysis of a 7-year-old girl. To our knowledge, this is only the third report of this entity. The neoplasm was a pure embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma with numerous rhabdomyoblasts. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis: The cells were reactive with antibodies directed against desmin, muscle-specific actin, and myoglobin. No other neoplastic mesenchymal component was present within the tumor. Although rare, primary rhabdomyosarcoma, along with Ewing's tumor and osteosarcoma, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of malignant bone tumors in childhood.