title: Desmoplastic small round cell tumor: extra abdominal and abdominal presentations and the results of treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare malignant neoplasm of adolescent males. Current multimodality treatment prolongs life and rarely achieves cure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the presenting features, histopathology and outcome of 18 patients with DSRCT treated at a single institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective observational study of patients with DSRCT who presented at the Tata Memorial Hospital between January 1994 to January 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients of DSRCT seen during this period were evaluated for their clinical presentation, response to chemotherapy and other multimodality treatment and overall survival. The cohort of 18 patients included 11 males (61%) and 7 females (39%) with a mean age of 16 years (Range 1(1/2)--30 years). Majority (83%) presented with abdomino-pelvic disease. The others, involving chest wall and extremities. There were 6 patients (33%) with metastatic disease at presentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment primarily included a multimodality approach using a combination of multiagent chemotherapy with adjuvant surgery and radiotherapy as applicable. A response rate of 39% (CR-1, PR-6), with chemotherapy was observed. The overall response rate after multimodality treatment was 39% (CR-5, PR-2). The overall survival was poor except in patients who had complete excision of the tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  0 Abdomino-pelvic site was the commonest presentation, the disease can occur at other non-serosal surfaces also. Despite aggressive treatment the outcome was poor. However, complete surgical excision seems to provide a better survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laskar
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Banavali
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gujral
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Kurkure
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muckaden
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: Chandrika N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed