Simple resection of truncal desmoid tumors: A case series

Desmoid tumors of the extra-abdominal and abdominal wall have been associated with morbidity due to the aggressive nature of the surgery and high recurrence rates. Surgery that does not cause functional impairment is desired for patients with desmoid tumors. In the present study, among patients with desmoid tumors who were prospectively and consecutively treated with identical conservative treatment with meloxicam, a selected patients of patients were treated with less invasive surgery than wide-resection. Out of 60 patients pathologically diagnosed with desmoid tumors, 9 patients with tumors refractory to conservative treatment and 4 patients who refused to receive this type of treatment were treated with planned simple resection. Subsequently, the clinical outcome of the patients and the mutational status of the catenin β-1 (CTNNB1) gene in the tumors were analyzed. The mean age of the 13 patients that underwent planned simple resection was 39 years, and the tumors were located in the abdominal wall in 6 cases, the chest wall in 4 cases and the neck in 3 cases. All excised specimens were evaluated and positive microscopic margins were identified; however, during the mean follow-up period of 30 months, 12/13 cases, 7 of which had T41A mutations and 5 of which had no mutations (wild-type), did not develop recurrence. Only 1 initial case with an S45F mutation in the CTNNB1 gene developed recurrence. The results of the present prospectively treated with simple resection and retrospectively analyzed study suggest that planned simple resection could serve as a therapeutic modality for extraperitoneal desmoid tumors, particularly truncal ones with a wild-type or T41A mutational status.