Skin angiosarcoma arising in an irradiated breast: Case-report and literature review

BACKGROUND: Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare, invasive malignancy originating from endothelial cells caused by many different clinical situations. AS following radiotherapy for breast cancer after conservative surgery is a rare but well-known association. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to describe a case of AS after breast conserving surgery and to review the literature to date. RESULTS: We report the case of an 84-year-old woman who developed AS four years after she was subjected to quadrantectomy for invasive ductal cancer, followed by 30 tangent field radiotherapy sessions. She presented with a one-month history or red papular skin eruptions on the operated breast. Skin lesions were submitted for biopsy, and they were positive for AS. The patients was subjected to surgical excision of the remaining breast including all AS lesions. She is alive with no evidence of disease after 10 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Post-radiotherapy AS is rare neoplasm, but it should be considered in the case of patients with red lesions after breast conserving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy. © 2006 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc