Sarcoma of the bladder and prostate in children.Rationale for the role of radiation therapy based on a review of the literature and a report of fourteen additional patients

One hundred twenty-five cases of sarcoma of the bladder and prostate in children have been reviewed from the literature. Eighty-seven arose in the bladder and 37 in the prostate. One arose in an unknown site. Seventy percent of patients with rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder survived following total cystectomy; no patient survived following more limited surgical resection. Five of 25 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma of the prostate survived following limited or radical surgery, irradiation in 3 patients, and chemotherapy in all cases. No patient survived without chemotherapy. Review of our own experience revealed a survival of 78% (seven of nine patients) for rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder following radical surgery. Four of these patients had chemotherapy and two had irradiation also.