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Aggressive fibromatosis | |
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Other names | Desmoid tumor, deep fibromatosis, desmoid fibromatosis |
Desmoid tumor as seen on CT scan | |
Specialty | Oncology, surgery, radiology |
Complications | Pain, loss of function, restricted movement |
Usual onset | 30–40 years [1] |
Risk factors | CTNNB1 and APC gene mutations, familial adenomatous polyposis, estrogen levels, pregnancy, physical trauma or surgery |
Diagnostic method | Biopsy |
Differential diagnosis | Broad, including fibroblastic sarcomas, superficial fibromatosis, nodular fasciitis, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and scar tissue |
Treatment | Watchful waiting; surgery; radiation therapy‚ chemotherapy; antiestrogen medication; NSAIDs; ablation with cold, heat, or ultrasound |
Incidence | 5–6 per million per year [2] |
Aggressive fibromatosis or desmoid tumor is a rare condition. Desmoid tumors are a type of fibromatosis and related to sarcoma, though without the ability to spread throughout the body (metastasize). The tumors arise from cells called fibroblasts, which are found throughout the body and provide structural support, protection to the vital organs, and play a critical role in wound healing. These tumors tend to occur in women in their thirties, but can occur in anyone at any age. They can be either relatively slow-growing or malignant. However, aggressive fibromatosis is locally aggressive and invasive, with spindle-like growths. The tumors can lead to pain, life-threatening problems, or, rarely, death when they invade other soft tissue or compress vital organs such as intestines, kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, or nerves. Most cases are sporadic, but some are associated with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Approximately 10% of individuals with Gardner's syndrome, a type of FAP with extracolonic features, have desmoid tumors. [3]
The World Health Organization reclassified desmoid tumors (termed desmoid-type fibromatosis) as a specific type of tumor in the category of intermediate (locally aggressive) fibroblastic and myofibroblastic tumors. [4]
Histologically they resemble very low-grade fibrosarcomas, [5] but they are very locally aggressive and tend to recur even after complete resection. The condition is "characterized by a variable and often unpredictable clinical course." [2] There is a tendency for recurrence in the setting of prior surgery; in one study, two-thirds of patients with desmoid tumors had a history of prior abdominal surgery. [6] The condition can be chronic and may be debilitating. [7]
The condition was first described in 1832 by John MacFarlane. Desmoid, used by Johannes Peter Müller in 1838, comes from the Greek desmos 'band or tendon-like', describing the tumors' consistency. [8] [9] The term found broad acceptance in the 1880s. [10] Over the next several decades, Georg Ledderhose and C. Pfeiffer compiled and reported a number of cases, reaching 400 by the early 1900s. [10] In 1923, Ralph W. Nichols first described the correlation between familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and desmoid tumors. [11] Arthur Purdy Stout coined the term fibromatosis (in the name congenital generalized fibromatosis , describing myofibromatosis) in 1954. [12]
Wnt signaling pathway alterations are the likely cause of desmoid tumor formation. [13] Mutations have been discovered in both the beta-catenin encoding CTNNB1 gene and the tumor-suppressing APC gene, which affect the Wnt pathway. A 2015 study on desmoid tumors lacking these mutations found that almost all, 95%, "may have mutations that affect the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, suggesting a near universal relationship between desmoid tumors and Wnt signaling." [13]
The majority of cases are sporadic, most of which – 85% – involve a CTNNB1 mutation. [14] Of these, "the three distinct mutations identified are 41A, 45F, and 45. Mutation 45F is associated with a high risk of recurrence." [1] APC mutations affect FAP patients and make up a smaller percentage, 10–15%, of sporadic cases. [14]
The disease has a tendency to occur during and after pregnancy and in exposure to higher estrogen levels, suggesting a hormonal link. [15] One study noted the formation of desmoid tumors in guinea pigs after prolonged estrogen exposure. [16] Other factors include trauma and surgery. [13]
Risk factors for desmoid disease amongst FAP patients include female sex, a 3' APC mutation, a positive family history, and a history of previous abdominal surgery. [17]
The incidence of desmoid tumors is 5–6 per million per year; [2] they constitute 0.03% of tumors and less than 3% of soft-tissue tumors. The primary age range is 15–60, with a peak between 30 and 40 years old; it is 2–3 times more common in females than males. [1] [8] [18] A 2012 retrospective multi-institutional analysis of 211 patients found a median age of 36 and a 68% female prevalence. [19] Children do not have the same sex disparity and are most commonly affected around 15 or 16 years old. [20]
A biopsy is always indicated as the definitive method to determine the nature of the tumor. [1] Diagnosis may be difficult in part due to the use of core needle biopsy over open biopsy. [21]
Similarities among bland spindle-cell lesions lead to a large number of possibilities in diagnosis, including fibroblastic sarcomas, Gardner fibroma, scar tissue or keloids, superficial fibromatosis, nodular fasciitis, myofibroma, collagenous fibroma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, solitary fibrous tumor, phyllodes tumor, and other conditions. Such conditions may therefore also be incorrectly diagnosed as desmoid tumors (29% of cases in one review). [22] [15] [23] [24] Some 30–40% of desmoid tumors may be misdiagnosed. [25]
Desmoid tumors can occur almost anywhere in the body. [19] They are classified as extra-abdominal, abdominal wall, or intra-abdominal; the last is more common in patients with FAP. [26] Most cases occur in the mesentery, abdominal wall, and extremities. [27] One study has shown extra-abdominal tumors making up 43% of cases, abdominal tumors 49%, and mesenteric 8%, though statistics vary. [16] Pregnancy-related tumors typically arise in the abdominal wall. [28] Tumors located intra-abdominally or in the head and neck have the highest risk of mortality due to the proximity to vital structures. [20]
One analysis has shown a median tumor size of 7.5 cm (3.0 in). [19] Though metastasis cannot occur, the tumors may in some cases be multifocal, with several located in the same body part. [29]
A 3' APC mutation is the most significant risk factor for intra-abdominal desmoid development amongst FAP patients. [30] FAP patients presenting with an abdominal wall desmoid pre-operatively are at an increased risk of developing an intra-abdominal desmoid post-operatively. [31]
Desmoid tumors of the breast are rare, constituting 4% of extra-abdominal cases and 0.2–0.3% of breast tumors. [27] [24] Although benign, they can mimic breast cancer on physical examination, mammography and breast ultrasound and can also be locally invasive. Even though they occur sporadically, they can also be seen as a part of Gardner's syndrome. Some cases – up to 44% – occur in patients who have previously had breast surgery. [32] A high index of suspicion and a thorough triple examination protocol is necessary to detect rare lesions like a desmoid tumor which can masquerade as breast carcinoma. Desmoid tumor of the breast may present a difficulty in the diagnosis especially where imaging studies are not conclusive and suggest a more ominous diagnosis. [33] They may arise in the chest wall or the breast itself. [16] [24]
Desmoid tumors may occur in the head and neck, more commonly among children, and tend to be more aggressive than in other extra-abdominal locations. These tumors constitute up to 23% of extra-abdominal cases. [16] Treatment is typically more aggressive due to the increased dangers of a tumor in the area. [29] [34]
There is no standard staging system; desmoid tumors do not fall under cancer staging systems as they do not metastasize. [32]
The condition is "characterized by a variable and often unpredictable clinical course", [2] often considered chronic, [13] and with the potential to be debilitating. [7] Death, however, is uncommon. [20] [18] Tumors may grow, regress, or remain stable: [25]
Management of these lesions is complex, the main problem being the high rates of recurrence particularly in FAP-associated disease. Recurrence rates in general vary from 19 to 77 percent. [16] Conversely, for intra-abdominal fibromatosis without evidence of FAP, although extensive surgery may still be required for local symptoms, the risk of recurrence appears to be lower. [35]
Nirogacestat, a selective gamma secretase inhibitor, was approved for medical use in the United States in November 2023. [36] It is the first medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of desmoid tumors. [36] [37]
A Phase 2/3 trial on AL102, another selective gamma secretase inhibitor, is also ongoing as of 2023 [update] , having begun in 2021. [38] The drug was granted orphan drug status in 2023. [39]
Wnt pathway inhibitors are also being developed and studied as of 2024 [update] . These include E7386, tegavivint and ipafricept. [40] Additionally, the tumor microenvironment in desmoid tumors is being investigated to find new targets for treatment. [41]
Surgery was the standard treatment for desmoid tumors up to the early 2000s. [2] [42] Due to the condition's unpredictability, more conservative management such as watchful waiting has since become common due to the potential impacts of surgical interventions. As of the 2010s, there is a "clear consensus" [2] from medical groups, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group and the European Society for Medical Oncology: immediate surgical resection is no longer the first-line treatment, particularly in asymptomatic patients. [13] [27] [2] Complete removal is not always possible due to the tumors' infiltrative nature and tendril-like growth. [15]
In more advanced, recurring, or rapidly progressing cases, treatment may consist of complete surgical removal, radiation therapy, antiestrogens (e.g. tamoxifen), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), chemotherapy (e.g. methotrexate and vinblastine or vinorelbine, doxorubicin), or ablation (cold, heat, ultrasound). Treatment with oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs (e.g. imatinib, sorafenib, pazopanib, sunitinib) shows promising success rates. [43] [29] [44] [40] [45] Radiation therapy after surgery may improve outcomes. [15] [45] Despite the condition's hormonal link, anti-hormonal therapies only appear to work in a small subset of patients. [15]
Intestinal transplant is a treatment option for those patients with complicated desmoid tumor, such as those involving the mesenteric root, or those with intestinal failure resulting from the tumor or prior interventions. [46]
MRI or CT imaging scans are commonly used for monitoring. [47] [1]
In contrast with cancer, management of desmoid tumors considers additional outcomes beyond progression-free survival and overall survival as desmoid tumor patients' "survival is longer and... age of onset is generally younger compared with cancer patient populations". [18]
One review summarizes the disease's impact on patients stating, "the burden of [desmoid tumors] is disproportionately borne by women of childbearing and working age, and because it is associated with low mortality and a relatively young patient population, it typically continues for decades." [18]
Symptoms vary significantly as they are dependent on the tumor's location and effects on the surrounding structures. [18] Though desmoid tumors do not metastasize, their invasiveness may lead to pain and loss of function or restricted movement. Chronic pain is an issue for as many as 63% of patients and may be debilitating and lead to reliance on pain medication. [25] [18] Pressure on vital organs or deformity may occur. [25] [15] Rarely, amputation may be necessary due to injury caused by the tumor or its treatments. [18]
Tumors may be misdiagnosed (30–40%) [25] due to their rarity and a lack of knowledge; patients may initially be given inappropriate treatment or poor prognoses due to misdiagnosis with conditions such as malignant sarcoma. [48] [49] Patients may need to visit multiple healthcare providers to receive a diagnosis, causing delay in care. Patients may experience issues including anxiety, fatigue, or trouble sleeping; despite the increased survival rate, their level of emotional distress has been compared to that of cancer patients, including "patients with sarcoma, also a malignant connective tissue disorder". [25] [49] [18] A lack of knowledge by healthcare providers and of information available to patients and others have also been cited as issues. [48]
The economic burden of treatment may be significant, with surgery costs estimated at $50,000 in 2022 US dollars. [42]
Specific instruments to determine health-related quality of life impacts for desmoid patients, the Gounder/Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation (DTRF) Desmoid Symptom/Impact Scale (GODDESS) and the Desmoid-type fibromatosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (DTF-QOL) have been developed and validated. [25]
Few rare diseases have a specific code in the International Classification of Diseases. [50] As of October 2023, specific codes for desmoid tumors will be included in the ICD-10-CM, the United States' diagnosis code system, after a request from the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation. [51] A subcategory of D48.1, Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of connective and other soft tissue, has been created with more specific codes: [50]
Desmoid tumors occur in dogs, primarily on the head, and more infrequently in horses and cats. [55] A case has also been observed in a goat. [56]
A soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) is a malignant tumor, a type of cancer, that develops in soft tissue. A soft-tissue sarcoma is often a painless mass that grows slowly over months or years. They may be superficial or deep-seated. Any such unexplained mass must be diagnosed by biopsy. Treatment may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy. Bone sarcomas are the other class of sarcomas.
A sarcoma is a malignant tumor, a type of cancer that arises from cells of mesenchymal origin. Connective tissue is a broad term that includes bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, vascular, or other structural tissues, and sarcomas can arise in any of these types of tissues. As a result, there are many subtypes of sarcoma, which are classified based on the specific tissue and type of cell from which the tumor originates.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. GISTs arise in the smooth muscle pacemaker interstitial cell of Cajal, or similar cells. They are defined as tumors whose behavior is driven by mutations in the KIT gene (85%), PDGFRA gene (10%), or BRAF kinase (rare). 95% of GISTs stain positively for KIT (CD117). Most (66%) occur in the stomach and gastric GISTs have a lower malignant potential than tumors found elsewhere in the GI tract.
Gardner's syndrome is a subtype of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Gardner syndrome is an autosomal dominant form of polyposis characterized by the presence of multiple polyps in the colon together with tumors outside the colon. The extracolonic tumors may include osteomas of the skull, thyroid cancer, epidermoid cysts, fibromas, as well as the occurrence of desmoid tumors in approximately 15% of affected individuals.
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant inherited condition in which numerous adenomatous polyps form mainly in the epithelium of the large intestine. While these polyps start out benign, malignant transformation into colon cancer occurs when they are left untreated. Three variants are known to exist, FAP and attenuated FAP are caused by APC gene defects on chromosome 5 while autosomal recessive FAP is caused by defects in the MUTYH gene on chromosome 1. Of the three, FAP itself is the most severe and most common; although for all three, the resulting colonic polyps and cancers are initially confined to the colon wall. Detection and removal before metastasis outside the colon can greatly reduce and in many cases eliminate the spread of cancer.
The term fibromatosis refers to a group of soft tissue tumors which have certain characteristics in common, including absence of cytologic and clinical malignant features, a histology consistent with proliferation of well-differentiated fibroblasts, an infiltrative growth pattern, and aggressive clinical behavior with frequent local recurrence. It is classed by the World Health Organization as an intermediate soft tissue tumor related to the sarcoma family. Arthur Purdy Stout coined the term fibromatosis, in 1954.
A benign tumor is a mass of cells (tumor) that does not invade neighboring tissue or metastasize. Compared to malignant (cancerous) tumors, benign tumors generally have a slower growth rate. Benign tumors have relatively well differentiated cells. They are often surrounded by an outer surface or stay contained within the epithelium. Common examples of benign tumors include moles and uterine fibroids.
Phyllodes tumors, are a rare type of biphasic fibroepithelial mass that form from the periductal stromal and epithelial cells of the breast. They account for less than 1% of all breast neoplasms. They were previously termed cystosarcoma phyllodes, coined by Johannes Müller in 1838, before being renamed to phyllodes tumor by the World Health Organization in 2003. Phullon, which means 'leaf' in Greek, describes the unique papillary projections characteristic of phyllodes tumors on histology. Diagnosis is made via a core-needle biopsy and treatment is typically surgical resection with wide margins (>1 cm), due to their propensity to recur.
Hepatoblastoma is a malignant liver cancer occurring in infants and children and composed of tissue resembling fetal liver cells, mature liver cells, or bile duct cells. They usually present with an abdominal mass. The disease is most commonly diagnosed during a child's first three years of life. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are commonly elevated, but when AFP is not elevated at diagnosis the prognosis is poor.
A blastoma is a type of cancer, more common in children, that is caused by malignancies in precursor cells, often called blasts. Examples are nephroblastoma, medulloblastoma, and retinoblastoma. The suffix -blastoma is used to imply a tumor of primitive, incompletely differentiated cells, e.g., chondroblastoma is composed of cells resembling the precursor of chondrocytes.
Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) also known as deleted in polyposis 2.5 (DP2.5) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the APC gene. The APC protein is a negative regulator that controls beta-catenin concentrations and interacts with E-cadherin, which are involved in cell adhesion. Mutations in the APC gene may result in colorectal cancer and desmoid tumors.
Fundic gland polyposis is a medical syndrome where the fundus and the body of the stomach develop many fundic gland polyps. The condition has been described both in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and attenuated variants (AFAP), and in patients in whom it occurs sporadically.
A colorectal polyp is a polyp occurring on the lining of the colon or rectum. Untreated colorectal polyps can develop into colorectal cancer.
Diffuse infantile fibromatosis is a rare condition affecting infants during the first three years of life. This condition is a multicentric infiltration of muscle fibers with fibroblasts resembling those seen in aponeurotic fibromas, presenting as lesions and tumors confined usually to the muscles of the arms, neck, and shoulder area Diffuse infantile fibromatosis is characterized by fast growing benign tumors. This disorder is known to be caused by mutations in germline variants, PDGFRB and NOTCH3, which may be generationally-inherited through autosomal dominant and recessive traits. Although diffuse infantile fibromatosis is classified as benign, it can still lead to life-threatening complications and damage other organs.
Nuchal-type fibroma is a rare benign proliferation involving the dermis and subcutaneous tissues, that is a collection of dense, hypocellular bundles of collagen with entrapped adipocytes and increased numbers of small nerves. It is no longer called a nuchal fibroma, but instead a "nuchal-type fibroma" since it develops in other anatomic sites. There is no known etiology. The World Health Organization in 2020 classified nuchal fibromas as a specific tumor form in the category of benign fibroblastic and myofibroblastic tumors.
Mammary-type myofibroblastoma (MFB), also named mammary and extramammary myofibroblastoma, was first termed myofibrolastoma of the breast, or, more simply, either mammary myofibroblastoma (MMFB) or just myofibroblastoma. The change in this terminology occurred because the initial 1987 study and many subsequent studies found this tumor only in breast tissue. However, a 2001 study followed by numerous reports found tumors with the microscopic histopathology and other key features of mammary MFB in a wide range of organs and tissues. Further complicating the issue, early studies on MFB classified it as one of various types of spindle cell tumors that, except for MFB, were ill-defined. These other tumors, which have often been named interchangeably in different reports, are: myelofibroblastoma, benign spindle cell tumor, fibroma, spindle cell lipoma, myogenic stromal tumor, and solitary stromal tumor. Finally, studies suggest that spindle cell lipoma and cellular angiofibroma are variants of MFB. Here, the latter two tumors are tentatively classified as MFB variants but otherwise MFB is described as it is more strictly defined in most recent publications. The World Health Organization in 2020 classified mammary type myofibroblastoma tumors and myofibroblastoma tumors as separate tumor forms within the category of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic tumors.
A hereditary cancer syndrome is a genetic disorder in which inherited genetic mutations in one or more genes predispose the affected individuals to the development of cancer and may also cause early onset of these cancers. Hereditary cancer syndromes often show not only a high lifetime risk of developing cancer, but also the development of multiple independent primary tumors.
Fibroblastic and myofibroblastic tumors (FMTs) are tumors which develop from the mesenchymal stem cells which differentiate into fibroblasts and/or the myocytes/myoblasts that differentiate into muscle cells. FMTs are a heterogeneous group of soft tissue neoplasms. The World Health Organization (2020) defined tumors as being FMTs based on their morphology and, more importantly, newly discovered abnormalities in the expression levels of key gene products made by these tumors' neoplastic cells. Histopathologically, FMTs consist of neoplastic connective tissue cells which have differented into cells that have microscopic appearances resembling fibroblasts and/or myofibroblasts. The fibroblastic cells are characterized as spindle-shaped cells with inconspicuous nucleoli that express vimentin, an intracellular protein typically found in mesenchymal cells, and CD34, a cell surface membrane glycoprotein. Myofibroblastic cells are plumper with more abundant cytoplasm and more prominent nucleoli; they express smooth muscle marker proteins such as smooth muscle actins, desmin, and caldesmon. The World Health Organization further classified FMTs into four tumor forms based on their varying levels of aggressiveness: benign, intermediate, intermediate, and malignant.
Gardner fibroma (GF) is a benign fibroblastic tumor. GF tumors typically develop in the dermis and adjacent subcutaneous tissue lying just below the dermis. These tumors typically occur on the back, abdomen, and other superficial sites but in rare cases have been diagnoses in internal sites such as the retroperitoneum and around the large blood vessels in the upper thoracic cavity. The World Health Organization, 2020, classified Gardner fibroma as a benign tumor in the category of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic tumors.
The Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation (DTRF) is an American non-profit organization which funds research on desmoid tumors, a rare soft-tissue tumor affecting 5–6 people per million per year. Its goal is to improve treatments and find a cure. The organization was founded in 2005 by Marlene Portnoy and Jeanne Whiting after Portnoy's husband and Whiting were diagnosed with desmoid tumors. The Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation is the only American foundation dedicated to desmoid tumor research.