Angiosarcoma of the breast: A review

Abstract

Breast angiosarcoma is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. It can occur spontaneously or be associated with factors such as radiation therapy or chronic lymphedema. The etiology and pathogenesis of this disease are still unclear, the clinical symptoms and imaging findings lack specificity, and the pathological morphology is diverse, which is easy to be confused with other diseases. There is no clear guideline for surgical treatment. Although the optimal surgical approach remains unclear, the ultimate goal is surgical excision with optimal margins, which remains the primary method of treatment. In clinical practice, the choice of the surgical approach should be made by considering the tumor size, pathological type, and patient preferences. In clinical practice, the selection of surgical methods should be carried out with comprehensive consideration of tumor size, pathological types and patients' wishes. There is no clear consensus on whether radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be carried out after surgery, and its optimal program and efficacy are uncertain. This article reviews the etiology, clinical manifestations, pathological features, imaging findings, treatment, prognosis and other aspects of breast angiosarcoma, so as to strengthen clinicians' overall understanding of this disease and avoid missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.

Keywords: Breast angiosarcoma; Diagnosis; Treatment.

Fig. 1

Vasogenic tumor; In view of the special location of the tumor, angiosarcoma was not excluded (hematoxylin and eosin, 100 × ). (a) Tumor cells infiltrating breast tissue and invading lobule tissue; (b) Tumor cells invading adipose tissue. In clinical practice, when encountering a pathological report indicating breast vasogenic tumor, we should be suspicious of angiosarcoma.