Korean J Dermatol.  2024 Aug;62(7):418-421.

A Case of Angiosarcoma Associated with Adjuvant Radiotherapy in a Patient with Breast Cancer

• Sung Y
• Kim A
• Jung KE
• Lee Y
• Seo YJ
• Hong D

Abstract

Angiosarcoma is a rare yet aggressive tumor that originates from endothelial cells lining the blood or lymphatic vessels. Angiosarcoma is commonly associated with radiotherapy, often developing as a secondary cancer following irradiation. In this report, we present a case of a 66-year-old woman who underwent a lumpectomy with adjuvant radiotherapy for left breast cancer 9 years ago. She was referred to our clinic due to erythematous nodules and papules on the left breast that developed 10 months prior. A cutaneous biopsy revealed irregular, anastomosing vessels lined by crowded swollen endothelial cells, exhibiting nuclear atypia. The immunohistochemical stains for alpha-smooth muscle actin and CD31 were positive, while the ki-67 index was elevated. However, the stain was negative for human herpesvirus 8. Clinical and histopathological features were consistent with angiosarcoma associated with adjuvant radiotherapy. The patient underwent a left total mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy. However, 18 months later, multiple bone metastases were noted on positron emission tomography-computed tomography, and the patient received palliative radiotherapy and supportive care.

Keyword

Angiosarcoma; Breast neoplasms; Radiotherapy