Shepard Discusses Symptoms, Management, and Future Directions in Desmoid Tumors

Welcome to OncLive On Air^®! I’m your host today, Jason Harris.

OncLive On Air^® is a podcast from OncLive^®, which provides oncology professionals with the resources and information they need to provide the best patient care. In both digital and print formats, OncLive^® covers every angle of oncology practice, from new technology to treatment advances to important regulatory decisions.

In today’s episode of our Rare Cancers series, we spoke with Dale R. Shepard, MD, PhD, about desmoid tumors, a rare condition that primarily affects people aged 35 to 40. Women of childbearing age are at particular risk. Dr Shepard, director of the sarcoma and phase I programs at the Taussig Cancer Center at Cleveland Clinic, said the condition can be misdiagnosed because physicians often do not consider the possibility of tumors in younger patients.

Desmoid tumors, also known as aggressive fibromatosis, share some characteristics of cancers, specifically unchecked cell growth. However, they do not invade nearby structures, and they do not metastasize.

Desmoid tumors are rarely fatal––87% of patients were still alive at 15 years in one retrospective study––but larger lesions and those adjacent to neurovascular structures may cause pain and functional impairment.

In today’s podcast, Dr Shepard discussed the unpredictable course of desmoid tumors, the use of TKIs for desmoid tumors, and findings from 2 trials presented at the 2022 ESMO Congress that may represent new treatment options for these patients.

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That’s all we have for today! Thanks again to my guest, Dr Dale Shepard, and thank you for listening to this episode of OncLive On Air^®. Check back on Mondays and Thursdays for exclusive interviews with leading experts in the oncology field.

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