Postirradiation Angiosarcoma - A Late, Severe Complication of Radiotherapy for Mammary Neoplasm

Angiosarcoma is a malignant tumor derived from the endothelium of the blood and lymphatic vessels. Its aggressive behavior results in a poor prognosis for the patients. Radiation-associated angiosarcoma is a rare recently described particular subtype of angiosarcoma best shown in patients after treatment of breast cancer. The latency period of development is approximately 8 years, thus the 5-year standard follow-up after mammary neoplasm therapy needs to be extended up to 10 years. Radiotherapy is an independent risk factor for angiosarcoma development. Rapid diagnosis is essential for prompt therapeutical intervention to improve the patient's prognosis. The importance of early diagnosis is emphasized by a case of a 54 years old woman, with a diagnosis of breast cancer treated by sectorectomy and radiotherapy 7 years prior, presenting to our Dermatology Department for the recent occurence of erythemato-violaceous cutaneous patches on the area subjected to radiotherapy.