Soft-tissue sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the soft tissues of the body, which connect, surround, and support the body's internal structures and organs. These soft tissues include muscles, joints, blood vessels, fat, tendons, and nerves. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) forms from immature cells that normally develop and mature into skeletal muscles — the muscles that are attached to the bones and help the body move.
According to the Mayo Clinic, rhabdomyosarcomas can start anywhere in the body, but are most common in the head, neck, arms, legs, bladder, prostate, and vagina.
Rhabdomyosarcoma affects about 350 children a year in the United States. Some subtypes of the disease have a 70% survival rate after treatment, while others have a poorer prognosis, with high mortality if the disease recurs. Because each patient requires a highly individualized approach, it’s critical to get the right care right away.
Rhabdomyosarcoma predominantly affects children in two different age groups, though it can rarely occur in adults as well. Embryonal RMS develops in infants and young children under the age of 5, and alveolar RMS develops in teens and adolescents between the ages of 14 and 20. Boys are at a slightly higher risk for developing rhabdomyosarcoma than girls.
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