Bone and Soft Tissue Oncology Program

Rhabdomyosarcoma

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Symptoms and Diagnosis

Rhabdomyosarcoma is usually not difficult to detect. A child with rhabdomyosarcoma will often have a mass or swelling that is detected by the child or the child’s parents. A tumor also may cause symptoms, such as bleeding, pain, or difficult urination, that result in a doctor’s visit.

Generally, the child’s doctor will order x-rays and other tests. He or she may also cut out a small piece of tissue and have it looked at under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This procedure, called a biopsy, may be done by a variety of methods, depending on the location of the tumor, the age of the patient, and the training of the physician.


This page was last updated on: March 5, 2008.