Breast angiosarcoma that is not related to radiation exposure: a comprehensive review of the literature

Abstract

Breast angiosarcomas that are not related to previous radiotherapy are very rare. Surgical resection is the primary treatment for these tumors, but there is no general agreement on the extent of surgery. The role of multimodality adjuvant treatment also remains controversial. The aim of this study was to summarize the available data from the largest published series of patients in terms of management and outcome. We also sought to identify prognostic factors influencing patient survival. We have included studies presenting detailed data on multimodality therapy and survival of patients with breast angiosarcoma. Ten studies presenting data on 280 patients were included in the review. Seventy-five percent of patients underwent a total mastectomy and 25% had breast-conserving treatment (BCT). In 42% of patients, an axillary node dissection was combined with mastectomy or BCT. Thirty-six percent of patients received chemotherapy and 35% were treated with radiotherapy in an adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting. Survival varied significantly according to tumor size and grade. Adjuvant multimodality therapy may improve the outcome in selected patients with breast angiosarcoma. Tumor size, grade, and margin status are the most important prognostic factors for survival.