Extraabdominal fibromatosis-extraabdominal desmoid

Extraabdominal desmoids represent one group of deep fibromatoses. These agg ressive nonmetastasizing tumorlike lesions have a strong tendency to local infiltration, with a recurrence rate of about 40%. Trauma, hormones and her edity have been implicated as etiologic factors. Shoulder, chest wall, back and thigh are favored sites. By combination of different diagnostic proced ures the number of differential diagnoses can be reduced to only a few. Whi le in former times surgery was thought to be the only kind of therapy, nowa days adjuvant procedures like radiation, hormonal therapy and also chemothe rapy are becoming more and more important. Amputation or other mutilating p rocedures should be done only if the tumor recurs repeatedly.