Gardner's syndrome complicated by mesenteric desmoid tumors

Mesenteric desmoid tumors present difficult management problems among patients with Gardner's syndrome. Appearance of the problem is associated with prior abdominal surgery and with pregnancy. In the authors' experience, radical surgery alone has failed to control the disease and they recommend that it should be avoided when possible. Bypass procedures, interstitial implantation of radioactive materials, and chemotherapy represent alternatives which require further evaluation.