A Case of Desmoid-Type Fibromatosis Arising after Thoracotomy for Lung Cancer with a Review of the English and Japanese Literature

Chest wall desmoid-type fibromatoses are rare, locally aggressive tumors that occasionally arise from previous thoracotomy sites. Tumors arising from previous sites of thoracotomy to treat malignant disease should be discriminated from the pleural dissemination of the previous malignancy. In this study, we report a case of desmoid-type fibromatosis arising from a site for thoracotomy to treat lung cancer. Additionally we reviewed 15 reported cases of desmoid-type fibromatosis following thoracotomy and summarized their features. A 62-year-old woman was found to have a tumor on computed tomography (CT) at a 1-year routine checkup for lung cancer. The tumor (diameter, 3.4 cm) was located at the previous thoracotomy site. Positron emission tomography (PET) revealed mild 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) accumulation in the tumor, with a maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of 1.9. CT-guided biopsy revealed only fibrous tissue. Eighteen months after the biopsy, CT revealed apparent tumor growth, and a biopsy revealed the same histology observed previously. The tumor was removed and diagnosed as desmoid-type fibromatosis. Currently, the patient is alive without recurrence 4 years after desmoid surgery.