Treatment of mesenteric desmoid tumours with the anti-oestrogenic agent toremifene: case histories and an overview of the literature.

Abstract

Desmoid tumours are histologically benign but due to their infiltration and compression of surrounding structures potentially life-threatening fibromatous lesions of unknown aetiology. The annual incidence rate is 2-4 per million people. The mesenteric variant constitutes about 10% of all desmoid tumours, although in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients this may be up to 70%. Due to the small number of patients with mesenteric desmoids the therapy is mainly empirical. This report describes the rationale as well as the value of the short- and long-term treatment (up to 6 years) with the anti-oestrogenic agent toremifene in combination with sulindac in two patients suffering from such a mesenteric desmoid tumour. These patients did not respond to sulindac alone and previous treatment with tamoxifen together with this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug had also failed. An overview of the literature on the management of these dismal tumours is presented.

• Authors: P J Bus, H W Verspaget, J H van Krieken, A de Roos, H J Keizer, W A Bemelman, H F Vasen, C B Lamers, G Griffioen
• Journal: European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology (Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol) Vol. 11 Issue 10 Pg. 1179-83 (Oct 1999) ISSN: 0954-691X [Print] England
• PMID: 10524651 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
• Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators
• Sulindac
• Toremifene

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Fibromatosis, Abdominal (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Male
• Mesentery (pathology)
• Middle Aged
• Remission Induction
• Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (therapeutic use)
• Sulindac (therapeutic use)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Toremifene (therapeutic use)