Treatment of intra-abdominal and abdominal wall desmoid tumors with drugs that affect the metabolism of cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate.

A female patient with Gardner's syndrome was treated with delta1-testololactone (200 mg daily) because of growth of a large desmoid tumor in the pelvis and lower abdomen and a tumor in a scar from a previous laparotomy. There was also pain and swelling of the left leg. An immediate effect of the drug therapy was complete relief of pain followed shortly thereafter by disappearance of the edema of the leg. After two months, the numerous sebaceous cysts were less prominent. The gross measurements of the diameter of the pelvic and lower abdominal tumor clearly demonstrated tumor shrinkage following therapy. Small polyps scattered over the rectal mucosa and numerous osteomata were not demonstrably affected. After one year of treatment with delta1-testololactone, a laparotomy for partial small bowel obstruction was necessary. Obstruction was caused by the involvement of small bowel mesentery and the bowel itself in a contracted residuum of dense fibrous tissue. Substitution of theophylline and chlorothiazide for the testololactone in Januray 1974 was followed by further diminution of the measurable abdominal and pelvic desmoids. All of these compounds synergize the action of 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate and at least the latter two may function by inhibiting the action of 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate diesterase.