Underlying disease and chemotherapy regimens are the principal risk factors of OM development. This model can help in the identification of patients at risk for adequate preventive and therapeutic measures.

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Childhood cancer and its invasive treatment is a distressing life experience for the child and his family. Providing informational support is an essential part of community care, and defining parent's burden is an important part of this goal. However, providing such information can be particularly challenging in Arab countries where beliefs, traditions, religion, and socioeconomic factors influence parents' needs and their priorities of needs. This article presents a review of these specificities among Arab families. Implications of health-care providers are also discussed.

Introduction  Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma encountered in childhood and adolescence. Early diagnosis of pediatric cases is critical to improving outcomes, especially when socioeconomic status and geographical access to specialist services can reduce opportunities for early cancer detection and treatment.Objective  The objective of this study is to determine factors that can delay referral and treatment in specialist pediatric oncology center upon our population specificities.Methods  This retrospective study involved 31 children between 2003 and 2013. Children affected by histologically confirmed RMS occurring as a primary lesion in the orofacial area were included.Results  The median age was 8 ± 4.22 years (range: 3 months – 15 years). The male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Most of the patients had advanced stage disease at presentation (81.7% group had 3–4 pretreatment staging) with parameningeal involvement in 80.6% of the cases. The 2-year event-free survival rate was 17.7 ± 7.8% for all the patients. Delay of admission to our unit and abandonment of treatment seem to be important factors for the dismal prognosis.Conclusion  Patient's location, socioeconomic status and health care coverage have had an impact on longer delays in seeking care and on follow-up. More studies are needed for implementation of a better management practices and a better supportive care upon specificities of our population.