Orbital Rhabdomyosarcoma

Abstract

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) represents the most common orbital malignancy in children, and patients with this disease often present to the ophthalmologist. Because current therapeutic regimens offer an excellent chance for curing isolated orbital disease, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential. Much of the success in reducing the morbidity and mortality over the past three decades has been through the collaborative efforts of the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Studies (IRS) formulated in the 1970s. Treatment of RMS with multiple modalities has transformed the dismal 25 % 3-year life expectancy of the 1960s to overall survival (OS) rates of higher than 90 % today. With such success, clinicians now have the opportunity to focus on minimizing the serious late sequelae of aggressive therapy.