Desmoid Tumor of the Head and Neck or Intrathoracic Region: What Is the Recommended Initial Management?

This protocol applies to patients with a confirmed desmoid tumor located in the head and neck or intrathoracic region — sites where anatomical proximity to critical structures and the potential for significant functional impact make the choice of initial strategy especially important.

Before committing to any form of active treatment, current evidence supports beginning with a structured, observation-based approach. The rationale is to first characterise tumor behavior over time — the complete protocol specifies how this monitoring is structured and what findings drive subsequent decisions.

The primary goal is to confirm tumor stability: stable size on imaging and no evidence of progressive growth across multiple consecutive follow-up assessments. What constitutes meaningful progression — and what it triggers — is defined in the full protocol.