What is metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma?

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is an aggressive soft tissue malignancy of children and adolescents. It is most commonly found in peripheral extremities. There is a predilection for deep musculature of extremities, but it may arise from head, neck, trunk, pelvis and retroperitoneum as well.

How long can you live with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma?

Metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has a poor prognosis, currently < 20% survival at 3 years.

Is metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma curable?

Sometimes treatments can cure rhabdomyosarcoma. This is called remission, which means that cancer can no longer be detected. In many cases, remission is permanent, but rhabdomyosarcoma can come back.

Can alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma be cured?

Approximately 80% of patients with low-risk rhabdomyosarcoma can now be cured of their disease.

What causes alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma?

Gene changes in ARMS Certain genes in a cell can be turned on when bits of DNA are switched from one chromosome to another. This type of change, called a translocation, can happen when a cell is dividing into 2 new cells. This seems to be the cause of most cases of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS).

How long can a person live with Stage 4 sarcoma?

The 5-year survival rate for people with locally advanced sarcoma is 56%. About 15% of sarcomas are found in a metastatic stage. The 5-year survival rate for people with metastatic sarcoma is 16%.

Can Stage 4 sarcoma be cured?

A sarcoma is considered stage IV when it has spread to distant parts of the body. Stage IV sarcomas are rarely curable. But some patients may be cured if the main (primary) tumor and all of the areas of cancer spread (metastases) can be removed by surgery. The best success rate is when it has spread only to the lungs.

Is alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma genetic?

7.4 Genetics ~ 80% of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma have translocations involving the paired box (PAX) 3/7 and forkhead box protein (FOX) O1 genes which results in a fusion protein. FOX genes code for transcription factors that are involved in embryonal development and tissue specific gene expression in adults.