[Cutaneous rhabdomyosarcoma].
OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of a rare alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in a 16-year old girl seems worth of a case report. OBSERVATION: A large multinodular tumor developed on the buttocks and the external genitalia; systemic symptoms and metastases of lymph nodes and skin occurred very soon and the disease had a lethal outcome within 16 months. A temporary regression was observed after polychemotherapy with daunorubicine, vincritine and 5-fluoro-uracile. COMMENTS: In children the rhabdomyosarcoma is the most frequent sarcoma of soft tissues; the poor prognosis of the alveolar type is assessed by the case of this 16-year old girl; this tumor may progress as a systemic disease and present as a leukemia with rapid impairment of general health, enlargement of lymph nodes, cutaneous nodules and anemia.