Rabdomyoma

Rhabdomyoma is a rare, completely benign tumor. It is a variant of rhabdomyosarcoma. Both tumors originate in the mesenchyme, specifically in the striated muscle.[1]

Distribution

Cardiac rhabdomyoma

The tumor can appear prenatally or postnatally. We therefore distinguish 2 forms:

  • adult;
  • fetal.

According to the location of the tumor, we distinguish 2 types:

  • cardiac (in the heart), may occur in connection with tuberous sclerosis or alone;
  • extracardiac (soft tissues), head, neck.

Macroscopy

The tumor typically occurs in children under 1 year of age. Macroscopically, they appear as multiple bright nodes in the myocardium that pass into the heart cavities.

Microscopy

Microscopic image of fetal rhabdomyoma

In the microscope we see large cells with a large cytoplasm full of glycogen vacuoles, between the vacuoles there are thin strips of cytoplasm between the nucleus and the cell membrane - the so-called spider cells. In addition, we detect actin and desmin in tumor cells, which proves that the tumor cells have a muscular origin. [1]

Prognosis

It depends on the extent of the disability. If the child does not die, the nodes regress over time.

Reference

  1. ↑ a b

References

Category: Oncology Category: Internal Medicine Category: Cardiology