Long-Term Outcomes After Multidisciplinary Treatment for Pediatric Orbital Rhabdomyosarcoma

• Published in: Cancers 2025-02, Vol.17 (4), p.615
• Main Authors: Khatib, Nur, Merks, Johannes H. M., Markenstein, Jeroen E., Balgobind, Brian V., Savci-Heijink, Cemile. D., Morfouace, Michele, Pieters, Bradley R., Saeed, Peerooz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2072-6694; 2072-6694
• DOI: 10.3390/cancers17040615

(1) Background: Orbital rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare and aggressive soft tissue tumor that primarily occurs in the eye socket (orbit) of children. Treatment usually involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, aiming to remove the tumor and prevent metastasis. (2) Methods: An institutional retrospective study was conducted with data from 39 patients with primary orbital RMS treated between 1995 and 2016 at the Amsterdam University Medical Centers/Emma Children Hospital. (3) Results: The median age at presentation was 7 years (range, 9 months to 16 years). The median follow-up period was 9.4 years (range, 3 to 25 years). Ten underwent chemotherapy and excision without additional radiotherapy. A total of 29 patients received additional local treatment: Ablative surgery MOld technique with after loading brachytherapy and surgical REconstruction (AMORE) (N = 21), proton (N = 4) or external beam radiation treatment (EBRT; N = 4). We found 14 cases with recurrences, 9 of which underwent exenteration and two of which died. The 10-year overall survival rate was 95% and the EFS was 63%. (4) Conclusions: long-term follow-up with 10-year survival rate of orbital RMS in this series was 95% achieved by local tumor control and eye preservation in 77% of our study population.