Arterial Chemoembolization for the Treatment of Desmoid Fibromatosis

Desmoid fibromatoses are rare (1-2 cases/million per year) and locally aggressive mesenchymal tumors. For asymptomatic disease, current guidelines suggest an initial period of active surveillance.

The current scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of the treatment of desmoid fibromatosis by arterial embolization is constituted by several retrospective and prospective studies. Embolization of desmoid tumors alone, without chemotherapy, on the contrary, has been shown to be inefficient. Using Doxorubicin in desmoid fibromatosis is effective but associated with systemic toxicity. Consequently, this drug is reserved for symptomatic, nonresponsive, rapidly growing or life-threatening tumors. The intrinsic hypervascularity of desmoid tissue can be exploited as a conduit to achieve local distribution of Doxorubicin by navigation of a catheter endovascular.