The Role of Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Primary or Recurrent Desmoid Tumors and Long-Term Results

Abstract

Background: Desmoid tumors are uncommon and benignmesenchymal neoplasms. The optimal treatmentof patients with desmoid tumors is still controversial.Surgery is the primary treatment for locally invasive orrecurrent desmoid tumors. Also, radiotherapy is a treatmentoption for patients at high risk for local failure suchas those with positive margins or recurrent and unresectabletumors.Aims: To report our institutional experience and longtermresults of patients with desmoid tumors who receivedradiotherapy.Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.Methods: Between 1980 and 2009, 20 patients whoreceived radiotherapy (RT) in our institution were analyzed.The majority of patients (80%) were referred witha recurrent tumor after previous surgery. Thirteen patientsunderwent marginal resection, 4 had wide local excisionand 3 patients had only biopsy. Resection marginwas positive in 15 (75%) patients. All patients receivedradiation therapy. The median prescribed dose was 60Gy. Five patients received less than 54 Gy.Results: The median follow-up time was 77.5 months(28-283 months). Nine patients developed local recurrenceafter RT. Seven local failures (78%) were in field.Time to local recurrence ranged from 3-165 months (median33 months). The 2-5 year local control (LC) rateswere 80% and 69%, respectively. On univariate analysis,the 5 year local control rate was significantly better inthe patients treated with ≥54 Gy than in patients who received