Small bowel metastasis from embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the extremity– a case report

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue tumour in children and adolescents, but extremely rare in adults with comparatively worse outcomes. Metastatic disease is not uncommon, but intra-abdominal metastases are exceedingly rare. We report an unusual case of ileal metastases from an upper extremity rhabdomyosarcoma in a 17-year-old male who presented with abdominal pain during a routine follow-up visit. Laparotomy and ileocecectomy for a perforated ileal mass confirmed metastatic embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma with 1 out of 14 positive lymph node metastases. This case demonstrates that, although rare, intra-abdominal metastases should be considered when patients with a rhabdomyosarcoma present with abdominal complaints.