title: Treatment of extra-abdominal desmoid tumors with interferon-alpha with or without tretinoin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgery is the main treatment for extra-abdominal desmoid tumors, but the results of further management remain uncertain. Therefore, a retrospective analysis was undertaken to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) +/- tretinoin in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients with extra-abdominal desmoid tumors and a median age of 32 years (range, 15-73) received IFN-alpha. Seven of these patients received a combination of IFN-alpha and tretinoin in order to test further enhancement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a mean observation period of 27 +/- 15 months (mean +/- standard deviation) under treatment with IFN-alpha +/- tretinoin, local control was seen in 11 of 13 patients (85%). Seven patients had no evidence of disease at a mean disease-free interval of 22 +/- 18 months; in two patients progressive disease occurred after only 7 and 9 months, respectively, of observation. In another four patients, progression of the desmoid tumor was stabilized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data of this retrospective, nonrandomized study on therapy with IFN-alpha +/- tretinoin suggest that such treatment may be effective in prolonging the disease-free interval of patients after intralesional or marginal surgery. Because of the encouraging response rate, this regimen appears to be another nonsurgical treatment alternative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leithner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schnack
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katterschafka
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wiltschke
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Windhager
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kotz
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zielinski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D018222:Desmoid Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D014212:Tretinoin