Desmoid Tumors Can Cause Pain, Restrict Movement And Also Obstruct Vital Nerves And Blood Vessels19/5/2023 Desmoid Tumors can grow almost anywhere in the body. They can press against blood vessels and nerves, causing pain, a limp ors problems using legs, feet, arms or hands. Doctors diagnose a desmoid tumor by taking a sample of the mass and looking at it under a microscope. They may also use imaging scans such as magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography to find the size and location of the tumor. A desmoid tumor can be diagnosed by physical examination, imaging scans, and a biopsy. The biopsy is a procedure where a small sample of the tumor is removed and looked at under a microscope. Desmoid Tumors can grow anywhere in the body, whereas most often they are found in the shoulder girdle and abdominal wall. They can cause pain and limit movement in the area around them. Desmoid tumors can also obstruct vital nerves and blood vessels. Some desmoid tumors grow very slowly or even shrink without treatment. If they are small and outside the abdomen, doctors may recommend a wait and watch approach. If they are inside the abdomen, doctors can use radiation to destroy the tumor cells. Doctors are also exploring new drugs to shrink or destroy desmoid tumors. These tumors are benign and don't spread, most of the time they don't cause symptoms. Whereas if the tumors grow too large and press against blood vessels, nerves or other tissues, they can cause pain, loss of function, and other health problems. It's not clear what causes desmoid tumors to form, they seem to be linked to changes in a gene called CTNNB1. They often start during or after pregnancy. They also may be associated with a genetic condition called familial adenomatous polyposis, which can lead to colon cancer. Most Desmoid Tumors can be watched with a procedure called active monitoring. This involves regular MRI or CT scans to watch for changes. Treatment options include medication, radiation therapy, cryoablation and surgery. Orthopedic and plastic surgeons have expertise in limb-saving surgery for these tumors, and are constantly working to improve outcomes. Some desmoid tumors grow very slowly and may not need treatment at all. In other cases, the doctor will monitor the tumor and recommend treatment if it grows or causes symptoms. Desmoid tumors can be difficult to remove as they often encapsulate and intertwine with surrounding tissues. This makes it hard for surgeons to identify the outer boundary of the tumor during surgery. Due to this, desmoids have a high rate of recurrence after surgery. Desmoid Tumors can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or cryoablation. Cryoablation uses extreme cold to kill cancerous cells and can be used in combination with surgery. Chemotherapy uses drugs that are taken orally or intravenously to shrink or kill cancerous cells. Some of these drugs have long-term side effects. Some promising new medications such as a gamma-secretase inhibitor are showing promise in treating desmoid tumors by slowing their growth. Desmoid tumors can sometimes shrink without treatment, a process that is known as quiescent. Depending on the individual case, desmoid tumors can be monitored with frequent MRI scans to see if they continue to grow or if they start causing symptoms. If the tumor grows or causes symptoms, doctors may then decide to move toward more intensive treatment options such as surgery. It can be difficult to treat a Desmoid Tumors as it is not well encapsulated and it often intertwines with the limb’s nerves, blood vessels and other tissues. This leads to a high rate of local recurrence after surgery ranging from 25-68%. Several nonsurgical treatments have been used for desmoid tumors, including radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation.
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