Desmoid tumor in pregnancy: A case report

Desmoid tumors (DTs) constitute a rare fibroblastic proliferative disease. In a female patient presenting a tumor of the lower abdominal wall especially after cesarean section, an endometriotic tumor as well as an aggressive DT should be considered. Here we report a case of pregnancy associated with an anterior abdominal wall DT in a second gravida with previous cesarean, being the first such case from the northeastern region. DTs are histologically benign neoplasms arising from the connective tissue sheath of striated muscles but may exhibit locally aggressive growth patterns and a high rate of recurrence. Large percentages of DTs in females arise in and around pregnancy, perhaps related to trauma from abdominal stretching during fetal growth and due to estrogen levels. It is not clear from currently available data whether pregnancy-associated desmoids are molecularly distinct from other desmoids. Currently, surgery is the most favored treatment for DTs.