Extended follow-up of patients treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy for intra-abdominal desmoid tumors.
BACKGROUND
Cytotoxic chemotherapy can achieve a good initial response in inoperable desmoid tumors that have caused progressive obstruction of the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts and have caused unrelenting pain.


METHODS
We have reviewed 8 patients (3 male) with desmoid tumors and familial adenomatous polyposis who underwent cytotoxic chemotherapy for inoperable gastrointestinal obstruction and/or uncontrolled pain. They were treated with doxorubicin and dacarbazine followed by carboplatin and dacarbazine.


RESULTS
Follow-up after cytotoxic chemotherapy in the 7 patients for whom it was available was a mean of 42 (range 24-54) months. Two patients achieved complete remission after therapy. Four patients achieved a partial remission after completing all or some of the chemotherapy regimen; of these, three remained in stable remission, whereas the other was lost to follow-up. There were two recurrences that required further therapy; one of these patients was treated with further chemotherapy, which induced a second remission, and the other was treated with pelvic exenteration and has subsequently died.


CONCLUSIONS
Most patients had a substantial response to cytotoxic chemotherapy; however, two patients required additional therapy 24 and 30 months after cytotoxic chemotherapy, respectively. Cytotoxic chemotherapy is effective in producing short-term and long-term remission in these difficult patients.
Poritz
L S
LS
Steve Atanas Starvo Familial Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry, Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Blackstein
M
M
Berk
T
T
Gallinger
S
S
McLeod
R S
RS
Cohen
Z
Z
D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D018221:Fibromatosis, Abdominal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003606:Dacarbazine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D016190:Carboplatin