Extra-abdominal desmoid tumors are benign lesions but difficult to cure because of their infiltrative nature and tendency to recur. Fifteen patients were treated at our department between 1966 and 1998. Six of them were men, and 9 women. Eleven underwent their first operation at-our department and 4 had recurrent tumors after surgery at other hospitals. Local recurrence was observed in one patient with intralesional resection (100%), and one of 8 with wide resection (12.5%). However, 2 patients with marginal resection did not have a second operation. Resection with inadequate margin at that first operation led to poor clinical results.