J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2012 Jan;51(1):47-50. 10.3340/jkns.2012.51.1.47.

Rapid Clinical Course of Cerebral Metastatic Angiosarcoma from the Heart

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea. jung-ty@chonnam.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pathology, Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.

Abstract

We report here one case of rapid and aggressive course of cerebral metastatic angiosarcoma from the heart. A 36-year-old man presented with 10-days history of headache. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated subacute hemorrhage with a small region of enhancement in right parietal region and the pathological diagnosis was angiosarcoma. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated 3.2x3 cm sized mass on right atrial wall. Newly developed lesion was reoperated, three and four weeks later respectively, and whole brain radiotherapy of total 30 Gy was done. With the interval of two months, gamma knife surgery was done for new lesions two times, which were well controlled. Newly developed lesions rapidly happened even in the adjuvant treatment. He died 9 months after the diagnosis because of the aggravation of primary cancer. The cerebral metastatic angiosarcoma from the heart showed the rapid aggressive behavior and the closed follow-up could be needed for the adjuvant treatment.

Keyword

Angiosarcoma; Cerebral; Heart; Metastasis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Brain
Echocardiography
Headache
Heart
Hemangiosarcoma
Hemorrhage
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neoplasm Metastasis

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Initial radiologic findings. CT showed the intracerebral hemorrhage of subacute stage on right parietal area (A). MRI demonstrates a heterogeneous mixed signal intensity lesion on T1 and T2-weighted images (B and C) with a small region of enhancement in right parietal region (D). CT: computed tomography, MRI: magnetic resonance imaging.

  • Fig. 2 Pathologic findings. A: Highly cellular with cellular atypia and frequent mitosis (H&E, original magnification ×400). B: Immunopositive for CD34 (original magnification ×400). C: Immunopositive for actin (original magnification ×400). D: Immunopositive for CD31 (original magnification ×400). E: Ki-67 labeling index at 80% (original magnification ×400).

  • Fig. 3 Follow-up radiologic findings. A and B: Three weeks later, CT and MRI show another intracerebral hemorrhage associated with enhancing lesion of right parietal area. C: Four weeks later, MRI shows the marginal enhanced lesion on post-resection cavity associated with perilesional edema. D: After WBRT two months later, MRI shows less than 1 cm-sized, four newly enhancing lesions. E: Two months later, there are newly developed lesions; 2.3 cm sized hemorrhagic mass lesion with heterogeneous enhancement in right cerebellar hemisphere. F: Six weeks later, MRI shows that the new multiple lesions are detected. CT: computed tomography, MRI: magnetic resonance imaging, WBRT: whole brain radiotherapy.


Reference

1. Akutsu H, Tsuboi K, Sakamoto N, Nose T, Honma S, Jikuya T. Cerebral metastasis from angiosarcoma of the aortic wall: case report. Surg Neurol. 2004; 61:68–71. PMID: 14706384.
Article
2. Ananthasubramaniam K, Farha A. Primary right atrial angiosarcoma mimicking acute pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, and tricuspid stenosis. Heart. 1999; 81:556–558. PMID: 10212178.
Article
3. Araoz PA, Eklund HE, Welch TJ, Breen JF. CT and MR imaging of primary cardiac malignancies. Radiographics. 1999; 19:1421–1434. PMID: 10555666.
Article
4. Brown PD, Brown CA, Pollock BE, Gorman DA, Foote RL. Stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with "radioresistant" brain metastases. Neurosurgery. 2008; 62(Suppl 2):790–801. PMID: 18596426.
Article
5. Chang EL, Selek U, Hassenbusch SJ 3rd, Maor MH, Allen PK, Mahajan A, et al. Outcome variation among "radioresistant" brain metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery. Neurosurgery. 2005; 56:936–945. discussion 936-945. PMID: 15854241.
6. Charman HP, Lowenstein DH, Cho KG, DeArmond SJ, Wilson CB. Primary cerebral angiosarcoma. Case report. J Neurosurg. 1988; 68:806–810. PMID: 3357039.
7. Donsbeck AV, Ranchere D, Coindre JM, Le Gall F, Cordier JF, Loire R. Primary cardiac sarcomas: an immunohistochemical and grading study with long-term follow-up of 24 cases. Histopathology. 1999; 34:295–304. PMID: 10231396.
Article
8. España P, Chang P, Wiernik PH. Increased incidence of brain metastases in sarcoma patients. Cancer. 1980; 45:377–380. PMID: 6243247.
Article
9. Fernandes F, Soufen HN, Ianni BM, Arteaga E, Ramires FJ, Mady C. Primary neoplasms of the heart. Clinical and histological presentation of 50 cases. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2001; 76:231–237. PMID: 11262573.
Article
10. Flickinger JC, Kondziolka D, Lunsford LD, Coffey RJ, Goodman ML, Shaw EG, et al. A multi-institutional experience with stereotactic radiosurgery for solitary brain metastasis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1994; 28:797–802. PMID: 8138431.
Article
11. Gallo P, Dini LI, Saraiva GA, Sonda I, Isolan G. Hemorrhage in cerebral metastasis from angiosarcoma of the heart: case report. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2001; 59:793–796. PMID: 11593285.
Article
12. Hwang SL, Howng SL, Sun ZM, Kwan AL. Brain metastasis from pericardial angiosarcoma. J Formos Med Assoc. 1996; 95:484–486. PMID: 8772057.
13. Kuratsu J, Seto H, Kochi M, Itoyama Y, Uemura S, Ushio Y. Metastatic angiosarcoma of the brain. Surg Neurol. 1991; 35:305–309. PMID: 1901178.
Article
14. Liassides C, Katsamaga M, Deretzi G, Koutsimanis V, Zacharakis G. Cerebral metastasis from heart angiosarcoma presenting as multiple hematomas. J Neuroimaging. 2004; 14:71–73. PMID: 14748213.
Article
15. Manon R, O'Neill A, Knisely J, Werner-Wasik M, Lazarus HM, Wagner H, et al. Phase II trial of radiosurgery for one to three newly diagnosed brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and sarcoma: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study (E 6397). J Clin Oncol. 2005; 23:8870–8876. PMID: 16314647.
Article
16. Matsuno A, Nagashima T, Tajima Y, Sugano I. A diagnostic pitfall: angiosarcoma of the brain mimicking cavernous angioma. J Clin Neurosci. 2005; 12:688–691. PMID: 16023347.
Article
17. Mena H, Ribas JL, Enzinger FM, Parisi JE. Primary angiosarcoma of the central nervous system. Study of eight cases and review of the literature. J Neurosurg. 1991; 75:73–76. PMID: 2045922.
18. Naka N, Ohsawa M, Tomita Y, Kanno H, Uchida A, Aozasa K. Angiosarcoma in Japan. A review of 99 cases. Cancer. 1995; 75:989–996. PMID: 7842420.
Article
19. Pirzkall A, Debus J, Lohr F, Fuss M, Rhein B, Engenhart-Cabillic R, et al. Radiosurgery alone or in combination with whole-brain radiotherapy for brain metastases. J Clin Oncol. 1998; 16:3563–3569. PMID: 9817276.
Article
20. Vaquero J, Martínez R, Coca S, Oya S, Burgos R. Cerebral metastasis from angiosarcoma of the heart. Case report. J Neurosurg. 1990; 73:633–635. PMID: 2398395.
Full Text Links
  • JKNS
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr