Evaluation of the Cryodestruction of Non Abdominopelvic Desmoid Tumors in Patients Progressing Despite Medical Treatment

Overview

Desmoid tumors (DT) are rare tumors (2-4 cases/million/year) that originate from musculoaponeurotic structures. Although they are benign tumors with no metastatic potential, DT are considered as locally aggressive tumors, with local invasiveness and tissue destruction, leading to pain, and disability. Surgery remains the keystone of therapy, but is limited by the anatomical situation of extra-abdominal desmoid (EAD) tumors (chest wall, root members). In patients where surgery is considered, negative-margin resection (R0) is recommended, but this frequently results in cosmetic/functional impairment. Moreover, prognostic impact of R0 resections remains controversial. The outcome after initial surgery depends upon several factors such as age, tumor site, and tumor size as demonstrated by recent data from the French Sarcoma Group. Alternative therapies to DT surgery for front-line or recurrence include NSAID's, anti-estrogens alone or in combination, -interferon, chemotherapy, targeted therapies or radiation therapy. All of these medical approaches however may fail to achieve long-term disease control and a number of patients suffer from irreducible pain, and disability from tumor volume. Cryoablation is a promising technique that is suitable for patients experiencing extra-abdominal DT. The procedure is based on repeated cycles of freezing/passive thawing of the tumor, leading to cell death. The technique has many advantages, among which: the accurate control of iceball under real-time MRI or CT-scan monitoring (that is not possible with other techniques such as radiofrequency), the lack of mutilation, the possibility of repeating the procedure. The cryoablation procedure has proven to be beneficial for the treatment of various tumors (liver metastases, breast, kidney). Recently, percutaneous cryotherapy has been reported in the treatment of EAD tumors poorly suited to surgery, with promising results. In the light of these encouraging data, it is believed that patients with extra-abdominal DT not amenable to surgery unless unacceptable surgical sequel and progressing after at least two lines of adequate medical therapy (tamoxifen, NSAID or chemotherapy), could benefit from the cryoablation procedure. Tumor cryotherapy-induced regression should allow symptoms relief, prolonged progression-free survival and a better quality of life.