Desmoplasia
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183896016
2008-01-12T20:14:20Z
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In [[medicine]], '''desmoplasia''' refers to the formation of [[adhesion]]s or [[fibrosis]] (fibrosis refers to scar tissue) in the vascular stroma of a [[neoplasm]]. Desmoplasia originates from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''desmos'' (meaning ''fetter'' or ''band'') and ''plasia'' (meaning ''to form''). It is usually used in the description of [[desmoplastic small round cell tumor]]s. [[Neoplasm]] (or neoplasia) is the medical term used for both benign and malignant tumors. Basically, it's a blanket term that refers to abnormal, excessive, uncoordinated, and autonomous cellular/tissue growth. Usually you only see desmoplasia with malignant neoplasms, which can evoke a fibrosis response by invading healthy tissue. Infiltrating metastatic ductal carcinomas of the breast often have a scirrous, stellate appearance caused by desmoplastic formations.
It used to be thought that scars produced peripheral lung carcinomas, but now it is know as a desmoplastic reaction, that being the tumor existed prior to the scar, and generated the scar.
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"Desmo-" comes from the Greek "desmos" meaning "a fetter or band" and "-plastic" is also borrowed from the Greek, from "plassein" meaning "to form" = to form a band or fetter.
Definition: (adj.)
1. Causing or forming adhesions.
2. Causes fibrosis in the vascular stroma of a neoplasm
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[[Category:Oncology]]