Recently characterized vascular tumours of skin and soft tissues

Abstract

This review summarizes the clinicopathological features of a number of vascular tumours that have been characterized only in recent years. These include: glomeruloid haemangioma, a multifocal vascular lesion associated with POEMS syndrome: Kaposi-like infantile haemangioendothelioma, a borderline malignant tumour occurring in the retroperitoneum of infants, mimicking Kaposi's sarcoma histologically; giant cell angioblastoma, characterized by proliferated vessels with a granuloma-like appearance; benign lymphangioendothelioma (progressive lymphangioma), slowly-growing macule or plaque over the trunk or limb, mimicking low-grade angiosarcoma histologically; targetoid haemosiderotic haemangioma, a benign lesion with a distinctive annular appearance and histologically overlapping with benign lymphangioendothelioma; spindle cell haemangioendothelioma, a lesion located mostly in the distal extremities, characterized by cavernous vascular spaces, spindle cells with interspersed narrow vascular channels and scattered plump vacuolated endothelial cells; acquired tufted angioma, characterized by 'cannon-ball' involvement of the dermis by lobules of pericyte-rich capillaries; sinusoidal haemangioma, a distinctive variant of cavernous haemangioma which may be confused with angiosarcoma; and epithelioid angiosarcoma, a highly aggressive tumour of deep soft tissue mimicking metastatic carcinoma and co-expressing endothelial and epithelial markers.