Incontinence of urine and stool following treatment in infancy for embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma

A vaginal rhabdomyosarcoma which occurred in an 11-month-old infant was treated with conservative surgical excision, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The long-term sequelae of this therapy included rectal stenosis, which required surgical correction, and urinary incontinence. The patient may have had fewer long-term complications if a more aggressive surgical procedure had been performed at the time of diagnosis because a gross and microscopically complete excision would have obviated the need of postoperative pelvic irradiation. Strong consideration of total surgical excision should be given to infants with pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma.