What is Rhabdomyosarcoma (Spinal Cord)?
Rhabdomyosarcoma (spinal cord) is a rare type of tumour that originates from the soft tissues of the spinal cord. It can also develop in other parts of the body such as the head, neck, bladder, vagina, arms, legs, chest, and abdomen. Rhabdomyosarcoma (spinal cord) usually develops in children and in less than 1% of cases it develops in adults.Disease Causes
There is no well-known cause; however, children who have genetic disorders (a disease that develops due to faulty changes in genes) such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome and neurofibromatosis have a greater risk of developing rhabdomyosarcoma (spinal cord).Signs and Symptoms
The patient may suffer from the following signs and symptoms. These are- Pain in the back
- Weakness and numbness of the legs
- Urine incontinence (occasional leakage of urine while coughing, sneezing, and laughing)
Diagnosis
The following diagnostic tests and procedures can be used to make a diagnosis. These are;- Imaging techniques like Chest X-ray, CT-scan, MRI, and PET scan to see the site, size, and extent of the tumour.
- Tumour biopsy (tumour biopsy to remove a small sample of tissue for histopathological examination)
- USG-guided fine needle aspiration cytology