Treatment

Rhabdomyosarcoma treatment depends on the site and type of the disease. Due to the rare nature of the disease, it is important to seek treatment at a place that has the expertise to treat it.

Usually, surgery and radiation therapy (external beam radiation) are used to treat the rhabdosarcoma tumor at its primary site. This may be then followed by chemotherapy to treat the systemic disease and to prevent its further growth.

Some of the chemotherapy drugs used to treat rhabdomyosarcoma include:

Vincristine
Cyclophosphamide
Dactinomycin
Adriamycin
Ifosfamide
VP-16

A combination of radiation, surgery and chemotherapy provides the best treatment for those whose tumor has not spread. These patients also have a better chance of survival.

Most often the tumor is embedded and this makes surgery a difficult task.

Amputation may be required if the tumor is present in the extremities.