Successful outcome after laparoscopic surgery for sporadic colonic desmoid tumor with β-catenin mutation: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Desmoid tumors (also called aggressive fibromatosis) are histologically benign, but have a strong tendency to recur locally after resection. They are rare neoplastic tumors that may occur sporadically or in association with familial adenomatous polyposis caused by a germline mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene. The etiology of desmoid tumors is unknown, but their association with a history of abdominal surgery, trauma, and estrogen therapy is well known. CASE PRESENTATION: A 36-year-old Asian woman was referred complaining of an abdominal tumor. She had no history of familial adenomatous polyposis, abdominal surgery, trauma or pregnancy. A laparoscopy-assisted right hemicolectomy with a minilaparotomy was conducted for resection of her right-side colon and the anterior wall of her duodenum. The histopathological diagnosis was a desmoid tumor that grew from the transverse mesocolon. Mutational analysis indicated a mutation of the β-catenin gene (CTNNB1), consisting of a substitution of threonine for alanine at codon 41. The patient has been followed postoperatively for more than 3 years without any sign of recurrence. CONCLUSION: We report a case of sporadic colonic desmoid tumor which was resected by laparoscopic surgery. A successful outcome was achieved because there has been no local recurrence for more than 3 years. The tumor grew from the transverse mesocolon, and harbored a mutation of the CTNNB1 gene. Mutational analysis of CTNNB1 gene may play an important role as a prognostic marker of desmoid tumors.