Congenital desmoid tumor of the cheek: a clinicopathological case report.

OBJECTIVE

Desmoid tumors are rare benign neoplasms of fibroblastic origin, frequently presenting in the abdomen of adult patients. Little is reported about clinical features and outcome of desmoid tumors appearing in infants and children, especially when they are located in the face.

METHODS

We report a girl with a desmoid tumor of her cheek, which was present at birth.

RESULTS

The tumor was treated by surgical excision, with no additional treatment, other than follow-up. No recurrence of the tumor was witnessed 15 months following surgical excision.

SUMMARY

Radical surgical treatment with tumor excision, sometimes accompanied by radiotherapy, is the current standard therapy for infantile desmoid tumors. Pharmacological treatment may be added in selected cases. These modalities may be challenging when desmoid tumors appear in the face because of risks of facial distortion and associated growth problems.