Jeanne Whiting, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation, gives an overview of the foundation and how their work has benefited patients with these rare tumors.

Desmoid tumors can grow anywhere on the body into surrounding healthy tissues, including joints, muscle, and viscera. These rare tumors can cause significant pain, internal bleeding, and reduced mobility. These benign tumors are notoriously recurrent, especially with surgical removal, and each recurrence tends to be more aggressive than the previous tumor.

As Ms. Whiting explains, she was diagnosed roughly 20 years ago with a desmoid tumor that was located near one of her kidneys that caused significant damage, and ultimately, she lost her kidney to the disease. At the time, very little was known about desmoid tumors which motivated Ms. Whiting and her co-founder, Marlene Portnoy, to establish the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation in 2005. The goal of the foundation is to facilitate and fund desmoid tumor research as well as provide patient education.

The organization funds research geared toward advancing current scientific knowledge about desmoid tumors, moving toward the development of new treatment options and ultimately, a cure for this rare condition. The foundation is particularly interested in innovative and translational research projects but will also consider applications across the spectrum of research – basic science to clinical trials and correlative studies.

To apply for a research grant (worth up to $65,000 per year), go to dtrf.org/apply-for-a-grant/

Testimonial from our patient Mrs. Pratibha Mishra who underwent surgery of Wide local Excision of Desmoid Tumour at Currae hospital, Thane.

Currae Hospital offers the best local Excision of Desmoid Tumour surgery across the city and the testimony from Mrs. Pratibha Mishra is the most important thing to us at Currae.

Bernd Kasper, MD, PhD, professor, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Mannheim, discusses results of a phase II study exploring the efficacy of imatinib (Gleevac) in patients with racist progressive desmoid tumors.

Chair, Ravin Ratan, MD, M.Ed, Christina L. Roland, MD, MS, FACS, and Kathleen Hodgkins discuss desmoid tumors in this CME activity titled “Addressing Key Questions About the Latest Diagnostic and Therapeutic Advances in Desmoid Tumors.” For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YNZ865. CME credit will be available until February 22, 2024.

Histopathology Abdomen--Desmoid tumor