New data on diagnosis and medical treatment of retroperitoneal fibrosis.

A review of the literature of the last 5 years on retroperitoneal fibrosis is given. MRT seems to add to the exact extend of the disease and galliumscintigraphy can give new information on the activity of the process and the usefulness of medical therapy. The use of corticosteroid or other immunosuppressive drugs such a azathioprine, again is confirmed. Other drugs mentioned in the medical therapy are methotrexate, cyclophosfamide and penicillamine. A few cases responded well to tamoxifen, a drug which was already used in therapy of desmoid tumours. Medical treatment is anyhow superior to surgery alone.