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. 2006 Jun 12:4:32.
doi: 10.1186/1477-7819-4-32.

Management of a patient with multiple recurrences of fibromatosis (desmoid tumor) of the breast involving the chest wall musculature

Stephen P Povoski  1 , William L Marsh Jr, Dimitrios G Spigos, Abbas E Abbas, Brentley A Buchele
Affiliations

Management of a patient with multiple recurrences of fibromatosis (desmoid tumor) of the breast involving the chest wall musculature

Stephen P Povoski et al. World J Surg Oncol. .

Abstract

Background: Fibromatosis or desmoid tumor is a rare soft tissue tumor that lacks a metastatic potential, but is characterized by a locally aggressive and infiltrating growth pattern and a high propensity toward local recurrence if incompletely excised.

Case presentation: We report a patient with three post-surgical recurrences of fibromatosis of the breast over a seven year period. The fibromatosis was found to be involving the chest wall musculature and causing persistent and worsening pain. An aggressive operative strategy was undertaken, consisting of mastectomy with en bloc resection of the underlying chest wall musculature, ribs, and parietal pleura.

Conclusion: Aggressive surgical management of fibromatosis of the breast with suspected chest wall involvement is appropriate to attempt to obtain a long-term durable cure.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Anatomical location of palpable mass in the left breast (dotted line) and three surgical scars from previous attempted excisions (solid lines).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Magnetic resonance imaging non-contrast enhanced T-1 axial view.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhanced T-1 fat suppression sagittal view.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Computed tomography scan axial view.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Left chest wall defect created by the en bloc resection, with the patient's head directed towards the upper right corner and the patient's feet directed towards the lower left corner. In the upper right one-quarter of left chest wall defect, deflated left lung is seen. In the lower three-quarters of the left chest wall defect, pericardium and pericardial fat are seen.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Gross cross-sectional view of pathology specimen.
Figure 7
Figure 7
High power (200×) H&E view showing fibromatosis with adjacent mammary ductal epithelium.
Figure 8
Figure 8
High power (200×) H&E view showing fibromatosis invading into adjacent skeletal muscle.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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