High-Grade Breast Epithelioid Angiosarcoma Secondary to Radiotherapy Metastasizing to the Contralateral Lymph Node: Unusual Presentation and Potential Pitfall
Author(s) -
Ana Luísa Cunha,
Isabel Amendoeira
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
breast care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.767
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1661-3805
pISSN - 1661-3791
DOI - 10.1159/000329323
Subject(s) - medicine , angiosarcoma , radiation therapy , axillary lymph node dissection , breast carcinoma , radiology , hemangiosarcoma , biopsy , lymph node , differential diagnosis , metastatic carcinoma , mastectomy , breast cancer , carcinoma , pathology , sentinel lymph node , cancer
BACKGROUND: Breast angiosarcoma is a rare disease occurring as primary tumour or secondary to lymphoedema or radiotherapy. The more frequent use of breast-conserving therapy and radiotherapy for breast carcinoma explains the increasing diagnosis of these tumours. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a breast epithelioid angiosarcoma which metastasized to the contralateral axillary lymph node, occurring 4 years after breast-conserving therapy with axillary lymph node dissection and radiotherapy. The patient presented skin lesions and an axillary lump (clinically diagnosed as carcinoma relapse and lymph node metastasis). Fine-needle cytology on both lesions and a core needle biopsy of the axillary lump were carried out. Differential diagnosis included carcinoma, malignant melanoma, and angiosarcoma. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of angiosarcoma. CONCLUSIONS: Breast angiosarcoma is a challenge - clinically, radiologically and pathologically - and requires a high index of suspicion in susceptible patients.
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