Cancer of the muscles can occur anywhere in the body. It is easy to diagnose because it is present in the superficial surfaces of the body, such as the extremities and the abdomen. It is not a common cancer.
Causes
It is not known.
Symptoms
They depend on the site of the cancer. A lump may appear in muscle, arm, leg or neck. This lump does not appear after an injury and does not disappear, but gradually increases in size.
Diagnosis
· Routine: Blood: Hb, RBC, TLC, DLC, ESR may show no change.
· Special: A biopsy examination of the lump confirms the diagnosis.
· Additional: If the cancer has infiltrated deeper or spread in other parts of the body, the following investigations may be needed:
· CT scan of the suspected bone.
· CT scan of the abdomen and chest.
· Ultrasound or CT scan of the liver.
Treatment
Help is taken, frequently, of all the modes of treatment.
Surgery: Surgical removal of the involved part, if localized, may provide a cure.
Radiotherapy: High doses of radiotherapy are given to the area from where the cancer had been removed. It is given for 4 to 5 days a week, for 4 to 8 weeks.
Chemotherapy: It is given along with surgery and radiation. The drugs more often used are a combination of the following:
· Actinomycin D
· Vincristine
· Cyclophosphamide
· Adriamycin
This group of drugs is given at 3-weekly intervals.
Prognosis
Depends upon the site of the cancer. If it is superficial and detected at an early stage, the treatment has more than 50 per cent chance of cure. If the cell of the cancer is on the maturer side, it has better prospects than that of the immature cells. Younger children have better chance of survival.
Early Detection
Signs & Symptoms
· A lump in the muscle that has not appeared after injury, and it increases in size.
Investigations
· Biopsy examination of the lump