The role of imatinib mesylate in adjuvant therapy of extra-abdominal desmoid tumors.
BACKGROUND
Extra-abdominal desmoid tumors are rare neoplasms with variable biological behavior. The mainstay of treatment is surgery. Complementary treatment with tyrosine-kinase receptor inhibitor drugs, particularly imatinib mesylate, has been reported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible presence of tyrosine-kinase receptors in extra-abdominal desmoid tumors as a marker for imatinib mesylate therapy.


METHODS
From 1999 to 2004, immunohistochemical methods were carried-out in 14 patients with histologically confirmed extra-abdominal desmoid tumors to determine c-KIT positivity (existence of tyrosine-kinase receptors and PDGFRA and PDGFRB).


RESULTS
All desmoid tumors were c-KIT negative, which demonstrates absence of tyrosine-kinase receptors.


CONCLUSIONS
The histological c-KIT markup is an easy and reliable method that can detect whether a desmoid tumor is sensitive to additional treatment with a tyrosine-kinase receptor inhibitor. Molecular biological analysis for the identification of KIT and PDGFR mutation should be performed before imatinib mesylate is included in any treatment protocol.
Ioannou
Markos
M
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, "METAXA" Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece. markosioannou@yahoo.gr
Demertzis
Nikolaos
N
Iakovidou
Ioanna
I
Kottakis
Stamatios
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D018222:Desmoid Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta