Adult Sinonasal Rhabdomyosarcoma With Spinal Metastasis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant soft-tissue tumor mainly seen in the pediatric population. Here, we describe a case of an aggressive sinonasal RMS with distant metastasis in an adult patient. A 51-year-old male presented to the otolaryngology clinic with a unilateral painless neck mass and nasal obstruction. A flexible transnasal endoscope showed a huge fungating mass obstructing more than 80% of the right nasal cavity. A contrasted computed tomography (CT) scan of the paranasal sinuses showed an enhancing soft-tissue density mass involving the right nasal cavity. A biopsy revealed RMS, an embryonal variant. The patient responded well to chemoradiotherapy but later developed spinal metastasis and cord compression. He was admitted for palliative care but died due to cardiopulmonary arrest 10 months after diagnosis. A high index of clinical suspicion for malignancy is required in adult patients with unilateral nasal symptoms.