Intra‐abdominal desmoid tumor after laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer: A case report

• Published in: Asian journal of endoscopic surgery Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 426 - 430
• Main Authors: Maemoto, Ryo, Miyakura, Yasuyuki, Tamaki, Sawako, Takahashi, Jun, Takayama, Noriya, Fukuda, Rintaro, Ishikawa, Hideki, Tsujinaka, Shingo, Lefor, Alan K, Rikiyama, Toshiki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto, Japan John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.07.2020; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal surgery; Case reports; Colorectal cancer; desmoid tumor; Health risk assessment; laparoscopic surgery; Laparoscopy; Monoclonal antibodies; rectal cancer; Targeted cancer therapy; laparoscopic surgery; rectal cancer; desmoid tumor
• ISSN: 1758-5902; 1758-5910
• DOI: 10.1111/ases.12742

Desmoid tumors are monoclonal fibroblastic proliferations arising from soft tissue classified as intra‐abdominal, extra‐abdominal and abdominal wall types. We present a patient with an intra‐abdominal desmoid tumor diagnosed 20 months after laparoscopic resection of rectal cancer. A 70‐year‐old woman with hematochezia was diagnosed with advanced rectal cancer. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by laparoscopic low anterior resection was performed. During follow‐up, a nodular soft‐tissue density measuring 28 mm was detected in the presacral region. Metastasis from rectal cancer was diagnosed and four courses of chemotherapy were given, including capecitabine, oxaliplatin and bevacizumab. Computed tomography scan showed that the mass slightly decreased in size and surgical resection was performed. Histopathological examination revealed a proliferation of spindle‐shaped cells and collagenous stroma diagnosed as a desmoid tumor. This report highlights the possibility of a desmoid tumor in the differential diagnosis of an intra‐abdominal mass found during follow‐up after resection of colorectal cancer including following laparoscopic resection.