Background: Mammography for the detection of early stage breast cancer is widely established. Breast-conserving therapy followed by radiation therapy is the most common therapy for early stage breast cancer. Due to the increasing use of radiation therapy in breast cancer, secondary neoplasia are induced. The most common secondary neoplasia of the breast is the angiosarcoma. It occurs 4-7 years after radiation therapy. Genetic predisposition and a transformation of endothelial cells by radiation therapy are known to lead to angiosarcoma.
Objective: The present paper outlines a concept for treatment on the basis of the current literature and the experience of the authors.
Results and conclusion: Radical surgical resection of the tumour with a sufficient margin of safety is the treatment of choice for angiosarcoma. Tumour infiltration of the chest wall and other local structures are challenges for the surgeon performing a radical tumour resection. The replacement of the tissue is also demanding for the surgeon. After radiation therapy the reconstructive options are limited. Individual factors such as age, quality of local vessels and the patients demand for breast reconstruction should be considered. Although R0 resection is performed, the 5-year survival rates are 20-30%.
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.