Radiation-induced angiosarcoma of the breast: case report and self-criticism of therapeutic approach

Angiosarcoma (AS) of the breast is a rare and highly aggressive vascular cancer. It presents as a primitive or radioinduced form. The case of a 46-year-old woman who underwent quadrantectomy of the breast plus axillary lymphonode dissection and radiotherapy postoperatively (QUART) for ductal infiltrant carcinoma is reported in the following. Ten years later, the patient underwent mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, for local recurrence that was diagnosed as an AS of the breast at final pathological examination. She did not receive any adjuvant treatment due to local post-operative complications related to breast reconstruction. We criticise our thrapeutic approach and we recommend more attention about local recurrence suggesting that tru-cut needle biopsy of local recurrence of the breast after QUART, should be the correct diagnostic approach. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.