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Desmoid Tumors of the Anterior Abdominal Wall: Results from a Monocentric Surgical Experience and Review of the Literature

  • Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Desmoid tumor, also known as aggressive fibromatosis, is a rare soft tissue tumor. For those cases localized in the anterior abdominal wall, radical resection and reconstruction with a mesh is indicated. Because the rarity of the disease, randomized trials are lacking, but in reported retrospective series, it is clear that although it is considered a benign lesion, local recurrence is not uncommon.

Methods

We analyzed the records of 14 consecutive patients (3 men, 11 women, mean age 36 years, range 25–51 years) with desmoid tumor of the anterior abdominal wall treated at the European Institute of Oncology. The surgical strategy was the same in all cases: wide surgical excision and immediate plastic reconstruction with mesh after intraoperative confirmation by frozen sections of disease-free margins of >1 cm. We considered long-term outcomes by using the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 as an instrument to evaluate the overall quality of the treatment delivered to these patients.

Results

No immediate postoperative complication was registered, and no patient developed recurrence after a median follow-up period of 55 months. Two women experienced mesh bulging within 1 year after the operation. The long-term mean global health status registered was 97 out of 100.

Conclusions

Radical resection aided by intraoperative margin evaluation via frozen sections followed by immediate mesh reconstruction is a safe procedure and can provide definitive cure without functional limitations for patients with desmoid tumors of the anterior abdominal wall.

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Acknowledgment

We thank Valentina Lazzati for her contribution to this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General and Laparoscopic Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Emilio Bertani MD, Antonio Chiappa MD, FACS, Ugo Pace MD, Rosalba Lembo MsC & Bruno Andreoni MD

  2. Division of Melanoma and Muscle-Cutaneous Sarcomas, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Alessandro Testori MD & Javier Soteldo MD

  3. Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Giovanni Mazzarol MD

  4. Division of Abdomino-pelvic Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Roberto Biffi MD

  5. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Stefano Martella MD

  6. Division of Radiology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Paolo Della Vigna MD

Authors
  1. Emilio Bertani MD
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  2. Antonio Chiappa MD, FACS
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  3. Alessandro Testori MD
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  10. Rosalba Lembo MsC
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  11. Bruno Andreoni MD
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Correspondence to Emilio Bertani MD.

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Bertani, E., Chiappa, A., Testori, A. et al. Desmoid Tumors of the Anterior Abdominal Wall: Results from a Monocentric Surgical Experience and Review of the Literature. Ann Surg Oncol 16, 1642–1649 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-009-0439-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-009-0439-z

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