Skin diseases A to Z

Desmoid tumors - neoplasms are benign fibrous structures formed in the body musculoaponeurotice.

Desmoid tumors - Signs, symptoms and causes

- Common symptoms of desmoid tumors may include:

Painful swelling or lump

bowel obstruction when the tumor is formed in the abdomen

Pain caused by compressed nerves or muscle pain

Limp when tumors occur in the legs

Desmoid tumors can exist for some time without causing symptoms, making them difficult to detect. They grow in flexible tissue, such as tendons and ligaments, which are pushed out of the tumor is larger.
The cause of desmoid tumors is uncertain and may be associated with trauma or hormonal factors or genetic association. It suggests a genetic etiology: desmoid tumors occur mostly in young women during or after pregnancy in these regress after menopause tamoxifen therapy or exposure to oral contraceptives. The stability of the fibroblast proliferative response to estrogen.

Desmoid tumors - Treatment

Desmoid tumors can be treated with surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and medications such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and drugs in the investigation, such as imatinib. Often a combination of these treatments offer the best chance of success.