Desmoid tumours of the abdominal wall.

Desmoid tumours of the anterior abdominal wall are benign neoplasms arising from musculo-aponeurotic tissues. Desmoid tumours tend to be locally infiltrative resulting in a high local recurrence following surgical resection only. From 1980 to 1989, 10 patients with desmoid tumours of the anterior abdominal wall were treated. Two patients had only surgical resection, six patients received adjuvant radiation therapy after surgical resection and two patients had medical and/or chemotherapeutic treatment. At the time of analysis, all six patients with adjuvant radiation therapy after a microscopically incomplete resection showed no evidence of disease. Radiation therapy in adequate doses can achieve local tumour control after microscopically incomplete resection of a desmoid tumour of the anterior abdominal wall.