After recovering from surgery or an injury, you hope that’s the end of the story. However, in rare cases, a desmoid tumor develops in the area of prior surgery or injury.

This article will cover why desmoid tumors may be linked with an earlier injury or surgery. We’ll also cover why doctors don’t often use surgery to treat these tumors. For more information about your risk of desmoid tumors, talk to your doctor.

How Do Desmoid Tumors Form?

Desmoid tumors are abnormal growths that form in the body’s soft tissues. Up to 25 percent of desmoid tumor cases develop after trauma or surgery. People with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are at an even higher risk following surgery.

Another potential risk factor for desmoid tumors is pregnancy. During pregnancy, the abdominal wall stretches to make more room for the fetus. This puts strain on the muscles, which can lead to trauma and injury. Historically, researchers have believed that the hormone estrogen may also play a role. It’s important to note that desmoid tumors are rare, and the majority of people won’t develop desmoid tumors during or after pregnancy.

Why Are Injuries and Surgery Linked With Desmoid Tumors?

Injuries and surgery trigger the body’s wound-healing process to repair itself. Specialized cells known as fibroblasts grow and divide, producing tough scar tissue to close and protect the injury. Once the wound closes, the fibroblasts turn off.

Researchers believe that desmoid tumors can form when fibroblasts don’t stop proliferating, eventually leading to desmoid tumors. People with certain gene mutations (variations) are more likely to develop desmoid tumors, especially after an injury or surgery.

The CTNNB1 gene gives instructions on how to make a protein called beta-catenin. Changes in the CTNNB1 gene are responsible for around 85 percent of sporadic (noninherited) desmoid tumors. The mutations result in an extremely stable beta-catenin protein that can’t be broken down. More beta-catenin proteins build up in the cells, telling them to grow and divide uncontrollably. Over time, this leads to desmoid tumor formation.

Where Do Desmoid Tumors Develop?

Desmoid tumors are typically divided into groups based on where they form. Intra-abdominal desmoid tumors grow on the mesentery, the tissue that surrounds and protects your intestines. Abdominal wall tumors form in the wall of tissue that covers your stomach and abdominal organs. Extra-abdominal desmoid tumors are any tumor outside the abdomen, such as in the legs, arms, chest, and shoulders.

Surgeries Associated With Desmoid Tumors

Studies show that desmoid tumors may form after abdominal trauma or surgery. Examples include surgery to:

• Deliver a baby (called a cesarean section)
• Remove part of the colon (intestine)
• Remove a healthy kidney to be donated

Surgeries outside the abdomen may also be associated with the development of desmoid tumors. Orthopedic surgeries help repair injured bones and muscles. Researchers have found that shoulder and rib cage surgeries have been linked with desmoid tumor formation.

Some surgeries use minimally invasive techniques that don’t require large incisions. Instead, surgeons make tiny cuts and insert instruments to perform the procedure. It’s possible for desmoid tumors to form at these cuts, which are known as trocar sites.

Injuries Associated With Desmoid Tumors

Desmoid tumors can also develop where you’ve been injured. One study followed a group of people who had desmoid tumors after a trauma. The researchers found that the most common injuries associated with desmoid tumors resulted from:

• Car and motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents

• Contact sports like boxing

How Long Does It Take for Desmoid Tumors To Develop?

Desmoid tumors are slow-growing tumors. They’re less aggressive than malignant or cancerous tumors.

The study that followed people after surgery or trauma found that the tumors formed in just under two years — an average of 22.9 months from the trauma to the diagnosis. Desmoid tumors after pregnancy took an average of 19.6 months to form.

Do Doctors Use Surgery To Treat Desmoid Tumors?

Before the discovery of new medications, doctors treated desmoid tumors with surgery. Now, it’s known that a tumor is very likely to return at or near the original site.

Tumors that grow back after surgery may be more aggressive than they were before. There’s also a chance that several small tumors known as multifocal tumors will develop near the surgery site.

In most cases, doctors choose other, newer treatments to manage desmoid tumors. However, there are instances where surgery may still be recommended. If you need surgery for your desmoid tumor, your doctor will go over the potential risks and benefits.

Why Is It Important To See a Desmoid Tumor Specialist?

Desmoid tumors are rare and difficult to treat. The Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation recommends meeting with a soft tissue cancer (sarcoma) specialist. They’re familiar with desmoid tumors and can recommend the best treatment plan based on their expertise and the latest research on desmoid tumors.

Talk With Others Who Understsand

MyDesmoidTumorTeam is the social network for people with desmoid tumors and their loved ones. On MyDesmoidTumorTeam, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with desmoid tumors.

Are you living with a desmoid tumor? Do you have a history of injuries or surgeries that may have caused your tumor? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.