My Journey With Desmoid Fibromatosis Part 3
Some of you may be wondering What is Desmoid Fibromatosis?
Desmoid tumors are cancerous growths that occur in the connective tissue. Desmoid tumors most often occur in the abdomen, arms and legs.
Another term for desmoid tumors is aggressive fibromatosis.
Some desmoid tumors are slow growing and don't require immediate treatment. However, Others grow quickly and are treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or other medications.
Desmoid tumors are rare, affecting an estimated 1 to 2 per 500,000 people worldwide and 900 to 1,500 new cases are diagnosed per year in the United States.
This type of tumor mostly affects people between the ages of 15 and 60 years of age, but it can occur at any age. Desmoid tumors are more common in women than in men.
In children, desmoid tumors most often occur between the ages of 15 and 16 years.
Early signs that you may have a Desmoid tumor are signs such as a mass or area of swelling, pain, loss of function in the affected area, or cramping and nausea when a Desmond occurs in the abdomen.
It's not clear what causes desmoid tumors.
Doctors know these tumors form when a connective tissue cell develops changes in its DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. The changes tell the connective tissue cell to multiply rapidly, creating a mass of cells that can invade and destroy healthy body tissue.
Whew thatโs a lot huh.
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