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Molecular profile of head and neck rhabdomyosarcomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Karen Patricia Domínguez Gallagher
  • , Willie van Heerden
  • , Nasser Said-Al-Naief
  • , Roman Carlos
  • , Lady Paola Aristizabal Arboleda
  • , Carla Isabelly Rodrigues-Fernandes
  • , Anna Luíza Damaceno Araújo
  • , Felipe Paiva Fonseca
  • , Hélder Antônio Rebelo Pontes
  • , Lara Maria Alencar Ramos Innocentini
  • , Mário José Romañach
  • , Pablo Agustin Vargas
  • , Márcio Ajudarte Lopes
  • , Alan Roger Santos-Silva*
  • , Syed Ali Khurram
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • Universidade Estadual de Campinas
  • Universidad Nacional de Asunción
  • University of Pretoria
  • Oregon Health and Science University
  • Integra Cancer Center
  • Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
  • Universidade Federal do Pará
  • Universidade de São Paulo
  • Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • University of Sheffield

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: This systematic review aimed to identify the molecular alterations of head and neck rhabdomyosarcomas (HNRMS) and their prognostic values. Study Design: An electronic search was performed using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science with a designed search strategy. Inclusion criteria comprised cases of primary HNRMS with an established histopathological diagnosis and molecular analysis. Forty-nine studies were included and were appraised for methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools. Five studies were selected for meta-analysis. Results: HNRMS predominantly affects pediatric patients (44.4%), and the parameningeal region (57.7%) is the most common location. The alveolar variant (43.2%) predominates over the embryonal and spindle cell/sclerosing types, followed by the epithelioid and pleomorphic variants. PAX-FOXO1 fusion was observed in 103 cases of alveolar RMS (79.8%). MYOD1 mutation was found in 39 cases of sclerosing/spindle cell RMS (53.4%). FUS/EWSR1-TFCP2 gene fusions were identified in 21 cases of RMS with epithelioid and spindle cell morphologies (95.5%). The 5-year overall survival rate of patients was 61.3%, and MYOD1 mutation correlated with significantly higher mortality. Conclusion: The genotypic profile of histologic variants of HNRMS is widely variable, and MYOD1 mutation could be a potential prognostic factor, but more studies are required to establish this.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)354-366
Number of pages13
JournalOral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
Volume134
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2022
Externally publishedYes

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