Desmoplasia
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
In medicine, desmoplasia refers to the formation of adhesions or fibrosis (fibrosis refers to scar tissue) in the vascular stroma of a neoplasm. It is usually used in the description of desmoplastic small round cell tumors.
Historical Perspective
Desmoplasia originates from the Greek desmos (meaning fetter or band) and plasia (meaning to form).
Pathophysiology
Gross Pathology
Usually you only see desmoplasia with malignant neoplasms, which can evoke a fibrosis response by invading healthy tissue.
Microscopic Pathology
Infiltrating metastatic ductal carcinomas of the breast often have a scirrous, stellate appearance caused by desmoplastic formations.
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