Rhabdomyosarcoma

Diagnosis

Patients often first identify rhabdomyosarcoma as a lump or hard mass. Symptoms vary depending upon the location of the tumor. Sometimes the patient has pain. Most adult cases of rhabdomyosarcoma occur in the deep muscles of the legs or arms.

A physician should examine any mass that does not go away within a few days. To diagnose rhabdomyosarcoma, the physician removes a small piece of the suspected tumor for examination (biopsy). A pathologist looks at the cells under a microscope to confirm cell type. Computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and other images and tests may also be used to evaluate the condition and determine the spread of the rhabdomyosarcoma.