OBJETIVO: Avaliar comparativamente aspectos clínicos e epidemiológicos dos tumores de testículo na infância e adolescência. MÉTODOS: Análise retrospectiva dos prontuários de pacientes com neoplasias de testículo ou paratesticulares. Foram classificados como crianças os menores de 10 anos e como adolescentes os pacientes entre 10 e 20 anos. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados por meio do teste para duas proporções: teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney e teste de log-rank. RESULTADOS: No período de janeiro de 1992 a julho de 2009, foram admitidos 60 pacientes: 34 crianças e 26 adolescentes com neoplasias de testículo ou paratesticulares. As principais manifestações foram tumor e dor na bolsa escrotal. A queixa de dor foi mais comum em adolescentes (p = 0,006). Estes apresentaram tempo médio de história de 4,9 meses, mais prolongado do que crianças, com 2,3 meses (p = 0,01). Os tipos histológicos encontrados foram: tumores de células germinativas em 32/60 (53%), rabdomiossarcomas (RMSs) em 23/60 (38,3%) e outros em 5/60 (8,3%). Os adolescentes apresentaram maior frequência de RMSs, metástases em linfonodos (p = 0,003) e a distância (p = 0,035). As diferenças na sobrevida dos pacientes estudados não foram estatisticamente significantes, havendo apenas indicativo de que a sobrevida, nos casos de RMS, é maior nas crianças (p = 0,072). CONCLUSÕES: Os adolescentes com tumor testicular apresentaram maior tempo de história, tipo histológico agressivo e doença avançada ao diagnóstico quando comparados às crianças, a despeito da pequena amostra.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a comparative assessment of the clinical and epidemiological aspects of testicular tumors in childhood and adolescence. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical records of patients with testicular or paratesticular neoplasms. Patients under 10 years were classified as children and patients between 10 and 20 were classified as adolescents. The obtained results were compared through the two-sample test for proportions: non-parametric Mann-Whitney test and log-rank test. RESULTS: 60 patients were admitted in the period from January 1992 to July 2009: 34 children and 26 adolescents with testicular or paratesticular neoplasms. The main manifestations were testicular tumor and scrotal pain. Pain complaints were more common in adolescents (p = 0.006), who presented a mean time from disease onset to diagnosis of 4.9 months, longer than children, who presented a period of 2.3 months from disease onset to diagnosis (p = 0.01). Histological types were as follows: germ cell tumors in 32/60 (53%), rhabdomyosarcomas (RMSs) in 23/60 (38.3%), and other in 5/60 (8.3%). Adolescents presented a higher incidence of RMSs, lymph node metastases (p = 0.003) and distant metastases (p = 0.035). Differences in survival rates among the studied patients were not statistically significant, the only indicative being that survival in RMS cases is longer for children (p = 0.072). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to children, adolescents with testicular tumor presented longer time from disease onset to diagnosis, aggressive histological type and advanced illness at diagnosis, despite the small sample analyzed.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant soft tissue neoplasm consisting of cells derived from the primitive mesenchyme that exhibit a profound tendency to myogenesis. About 35% of RMS arises in the head and neck, being classified as parameningeal and non-orbital non-parameningeal forms. Parameningeal tumors carry the worst prognosis. The use of contemporary, multi-agent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery has made treatment of the disseminated disease possible, and has significantly improved overall survival from 25% in 1970 to 70% in 1991. Here, we present the management of two cases of orofacial RMS in adolescents: an 18-year-old, white female that had a 9-month history of a nodule in the left buccal mucosa, and a 19-year-old, white male who had been aware of a nodule in the left, posterior maxillary ridge with progressive growth for 4 months. Before final diagnosis, both cases were previously treated as inflammatory lesions. Their clinicopathological aspects, treatment, and poor survival as a consequence of delays in diagnosis are discussed.

Rabdomiosarcoma é uma neoplasia maligna originária de células mesenquimais primitivas, podendo ocorrer em qualquer lugar do corpo. É o sarcoma de partes moles mais comum na infância, e localiza-se mais freqüentemente na cabeça e pescoço. OBJETIVO: Estudar a ocorrência de RMS na cabeça e pescoço na infância, correlacionando aspectos clínicos e histopatológicos. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Clínico retrospectivo. MÉTODO: Oitenta e dois pacientes com diagnóstico de sarcomas de partes moles, atendidos no Instituto de Oncopediatria da UNIFESP-EPM de 1988 a 2002 foram incluídos neste estudo. Foram estudados os seguintes parâmetros: incidência de RMS na infância e na cabeça e pescoço, distribuição segundo sexo, faixa etária, tipo histológico, localização primária, óbito X localização, causa mortis. RESULTADOS: Neste estudo 65% dos casos de sarcomas de partes moles corresponderam à RMS; 33% dos casos de RMS localizavam-se na cabeça e pescoço; 77% dos casos de sarcoma de partes moles de cabeça e pescoço corresponderam ao RMS. A média de idade no diagnóstico foi de 7,62 anos, predominando na faixa etária dos 5 aos 9 anos (41%). Em relação ao sexo, encontramos 47% do sexo feminino e 53% do sexo masculino. Quanto ao tipo histológico, o mais comum foi o RMS embrionário correspondendo a 64,6% do total. O sítio primário mais comum foi o orbital (52,8%). Cem por cento, 50% e 33,3% dos pacientes com RMS parameníngeo, não parameníngeo e orbital, respectivamente, evoluíram para óbito. CONCLUSÃO: O RMS é o sarcoma de partes moles mais comum na infância, localizando-se preferencialmente na cabeça e pescoço. Houve predominância do sexo masculino neste estudo; idade média de 7,62 anos predominando a faixa etária dos 5 aos 9 anos. O tipo histológico predominante foi o embrionário e a localização orbital foi mais freqüente. O maior índice de óbito pertenceu aos RMS parameníngeo e o menor ao orbital.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant tumor of immature mesenchymal cells; it can arise from any part of the body. RMS is the most common soft tissue sarcomain the childhood and its most frequent primary site is the head and neck. AIM: The purpose of this study was to review the occurrence of head and neck RMS in childhood and its clinical-histopathologic features. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical retrospective. METHOD: Eighty-two patients with soft tissue sarcoma treated in the Institute of Pediatric Oncology, UNIFESP-EPM, between 1988 and 2002 were included in this study. The medical records of the patients with head and neck soft tissue sarcomas were reviewed. The following parameters were analyzed: incidence of RMS in the childhood and in the head and neck, sex, age, histological classification, primary site, follow-up. RESULTS: In this study, 65% of soft tissue sarcomas were RMS; 33% of RMS were in the head and neck region; 77% of soft tissue sarcoma in this region were RMS. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.62 years, 41% were between 5 and 9 years. In this sample, there were 47% men and 53% women. Embryonic RMS was the predominant histological type (64.6%) and the orbit was the most common primary site (52.8%). One hundred percent, 50% and 33.3% of the parameningeal, nonparameningeal and orbital RMS, respectively, led to death. CONCLUSION: RMS is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in the childhood and the head and neck is the most frequent primary site. Males were more affected by RMS than females. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.62 years and the most frequent age interval was between 5 and 9 years old. The embryonic histological type and the orbit as primary site were predominant. The highest mortality was found for parameningeal RMS and the lowest, for orbital RMS.