Treatment of pseudotumors with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs

Large inflammatory pseudotumors (IPT) traditionally are managed with extensive surgical resection. This approach, which often is associated with significant morbidity, has been deemed necessary because of the uncertainty of diagnosis, symptomatology, and involvement of vital structures. Also, there is a lack of other reliable therapy for this clinically aggressive yet histologically benign disease characterized by an overreactive inflammatory response. The authors treated 2 cases of abdominal IPT with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) with successful results. After a diagnosis of IPT on tumor biopsy, an NSAID trial can confirm the diagnosis and treat the disease by causing tumor shrinkage and eventual resolution. Excision remains indicated in easily resectable tumors and in nonresponders to NSAID therapy.