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Radiotherapy in the management of aggressive fibromatosis

Department of Radiology, Division of Radiotherapy, Hacettepe University Hospital, Ankara 06100, Turkey

This excerpt was created in the absence of an abstract.

Aggressive fibromatosis is a rare, slowly growing benign tumour arising from the fascial sheaths and musculoaponeurotic structures (Greenberg et al, 1981; Leibel et al, 1983). Its incidence is reported to be 25 in 100 000 (Greenberg et al, 1981; Leibel et al, 1983). This locally aggressive, non-encapsulated tumour is formed by the proliferation of benign fibroblasts. It extends along the fascial planes and infiltrates the adjacent muscles. Depending on its localization, it may cause erosion of the underlying or neighbouring bones and pressure on the blood vessels, nerves and air passages with related symptoms and restriction of movements of the extremities (Leibel et al, 1983; Raney et al, 1987). Distant organ and lymphatic metastases are very rarely encountered. The incidence of local recurrence following surgical excision varies between 40 and 50%, thus making radical surgical intervention an alternative treatment procedure (Suit & Russel, 1975).

In 1928, Ewing was the first to propose radiotherapy as a treatment modality for the management of cases not amenable to surgical resection. He described the radioresponsiveness of this tumour as "slowly but satisfactorily" (Leibel et al, 1983).

Received for publication February 1, 1989.