Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm. Report of a case presenting with hemothorax

A rare case of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm occurring in an adult male and presenting with hemothorax is reported. The unusual clinical features of this patient underline the need for an accurate preoperative evaluation. The surgical procedure consisted of left thoracotomy with resection of the neoplasm, including a portion of the diaphragm muscle, and then reconstruction. One month after discharge chemo- and radiotherapy were carried out. The immunohistochemical study proved to be very helpful for the pathological diagnosis. A three years follow-up with patient alive and disease-free confirms that a multimodal approach may prove effective in the long term.