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Surgical Management of Desmoid Tumors

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Desmoid Tumors

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Abstract

Although unable to metastasize, the locally aggressive growth pattern of desmoids can result in significant morbidity for patients burdened with these tumors. Moreover, their diverse anatomic location, propensity for recurrence, and unpredictable biologic behavior present unique challenges for surgeons and other physicians involved in their management. A well-coordinated, multidisciplinary approach involving the input of surgical and nonsurgical specialists is needed to develop an individualized treatment strategy appropriate for each specific patient. When surgery is planned, appropriate imaging and preoperative biopsy is obligatory. The true impact of surgical margin negativity as well as the role of adjuvant therapies (i.e., radiation, antiinflammatory drugs, antiestrogen agents, and cytotoxic chemotherapy) in preventing tumor recurrence remains uncertain. Although radical resection to achieve negative histologic margins is the laudable objective of many oncologic surgical procedures and in some circumstances may be applicable to desmoid surgical management, excessively mutilating resections that result in significant functional impairment do not appear to be warranted in this disease.

This chapter examines the surgical management of desmoid tumors with a focus on general considerations for the surgeon as well as detailed discussions of the management of limb and limb girdle, abdominal wall and truncal, and intraabdominal tumors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, 77030, Houston, Texas, USA

    Paxton V. Dickson & Raphael Pollock

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  1. Paxton V. Dickson
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  2. Raphael Pollock
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Correspondence to Paxton V. Dickson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Neurology, Columbia University, Summer Street 1290, Stamford, 06905, Connecticut, USA

    Charisse Litchman

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Dickson, P.V., Pollock, R. (2012). Surgical Management of Desmoid Tumors. In: Litchman, C. (eds) Desmoid Tumors. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1685-8_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1685-8_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-1684-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-1685-8

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