Angiosarcoma of the Breast Following Segmental Mastectomy Complicated by Lymphedema

Abstract

A patient is discussed who had angiosarcoma of her lymphedematous right breast develop four years after segmental mastectomy for infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The lymphedema developed and persisted after an indolent and recurrent postoperative infection. The possibility that the second malignancy is a consequence of the chronic lymphedema, similar to the angiosarcomas of lymphedematous extremities after radical mastectomy, is cautiously entertained. This hypothesis is worthy of consideration as more breast conservation surgery is being done, with or without adjuvant radiation therapy, and accumulating evidence suggests that lymphedema of the breast is a common complication of surgery followed by radiation.

Angiosarcoma of the breast: the experience of the European Institute of Oncology and a review of the literature

“…This time frame is similar to those described in other series [8,[14][15][16][17]. Exposure to chronic lymphedema has also been identified as a risk factor [18][19][20]. It has been suggested that the proliferation of lymphatic channels observed in patients with chronic lymphedema is mediated by growth factors that enhance the process of malignant transformation [18,21].…”

Radiation-Induced Sarcoma of the Breast: A Systematic Review

“…The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 35% [7]. The number of skin lesions was an important prog- [98] 5c Case reports (n ϭ 2) Case report and literature review Otis et al (1986) [53] 5c Case reports (n ϭ 2) Case report and literature review Lo et al (1985) [135] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Benda et al (1987) [136] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Hamels et al (1981) [137] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Shaikh et al (1988) [138] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Rubin et al (1990) [139] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Del Mastro et al (1994) [140] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Cwikiel et al (1997) [141] 5c Case reports (n ϭ 2) Case report and literature review Roncadin et al (1998) [142] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Parker et al (2003) [143] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Taat et al (1992) [119] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Weber and Marchal (1995) [144] 5c Case reports (n ϭ 3) Case report and literature review Iwasaki et al (1978) [145] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Arbabi and Warhol (1982) [146] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Hatfield and Schulz (1970) [147] 5c Case series (n ϭ 5) Case report and literature review Borman et al (1998) [92] 5c Case report (n ϭ 1) Case report and literature review Vesoulis and Cunliffe (2000) [75] 5c Case re...…”

Angiosarcoma after conservation treatment for breast carcinoma: Our experience and a review of the literature

“…4,7,11,[15][16][17] Angiosarcoma arising in a breast after partial mastectomy not followed by RT has been described. 18 Radiation exposure alone is unlikely to complete the cause and effect equation. 4,8,9 To gain better insight into this emerging entity, we studied 8 patients with BCT-associated angiosarcoma seen at the National Institute of Oncology Budapest and review the relevant literature.…”