The improvement in survival associated with combined chemotherapy in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma. A historical comparison of 345 patients in the same center.

Since no randomized trial with a control group without chemotherapy is ethically possible in rhabdomyosarcoma patients in view of the first results of chemotherapy in this disease, the authors report the results of an historical comparison of 345 patients treated with or without combined chemotherapy. The results confirm the overall improvement of survival rates with combined chemotherapy. The greatest benefit from combined chemotherapy was observed in clinical Stage III and IV tumors of the head and neck (with the exception of orbital tumors) and of the genitourinary tract. The efficacy of combined chemotherapy is uncertain for other clinical stages and for limb tumors.