The success of treating cancers directly depends on the stage at which they were seen, and on how soon the measures for their elimination have been started. For angiosarcoma it is especially important, because it refers to particularly aggressive varieties of tumors.
What is angiosarcoma?
Cancer education, which is fundamentally affected by vascular disease of the blood or lymphatic system, is called angiosarcoma. Pathology is characterized by a special degree of malignancy.
The unit has a knobbly surface. The structure of education is a large number of thin-walled vessels. In the section, the tumor looks like a multitude of cavities that are filled with bloody contents.
Pathology is rare. Among the cases of sarcoma, this type of lesion takes up to four percent. Of these, more than half are cases when the disease affects the skin and soft tissue. In the rest of the diseased patients( 40%), angioma is found in the mammary gland and internal organs.
This picture shows the breast angiosarcoma in a woman aged 42 years
This type of cancer is characterized by rapid growth and spread of the process to the surrounding muscles and vessels. Metastases are spread through the circulatory system to organs:
- brain,
- bone,
- liver,
- lung,
- kidney.
In half the cases, metastases embrace pathology of the nearest lymph nodes.
Species and localization of
Formations are formed from atypical endothelial cells. Another kind of cells that have become undifferentiated create proliferation around vessels like couplings.
- An idiopathic cutaneous species of angiosarcoma happens on the head, selecting sites:
- the scalp,
- face.
- Skin angiosarcoma, the cause of which was radiation. Pathology develops from the endothelium located in the lymphatic vessels.
- Angiosarcoma that affects the limb vessels of the limbs. Pathology associated with lower limb disease, called lymphostasis.
- Primary tumor , dislocated on the mammary gland and showing signs of angiosarcoma.
Also, angiosarcoma can be located in soft tissues: liver, heart, kidney, etc.
Causes of development of
The appearance of lesions on the skin is associated with such factors:
- mechanical injury of the skin,
- skin area was exposed to the area of radiation therapy;a quarter of a century ago;
- degeneration of benign formations.
Post-radiation angiosarcoma appears as a result of cancer treatment by irradiation:
- of the cervix,
- of the breast,
- endometrium,
- of Hodgkin's disease,
- testes,
- of the penis,
- of the ovaries.
The appearance of angiosarcoma in the liver region causes interactions with chemical carcinogens:
- arsenic compounds,
- androgens,
- aromatic hydrocarbons,
- polyvinyl chloride.
Other causes:
- Recklinghausen's disease,
- vascular factors,
- chronic hemochromatosis,
- decreased immunity.
Symptoms of angiosarcoma
The disease manifests itself through such signs:
- on the affected area is observed:
- bluish spot, which is a bruise;
- at a later period, there can be a connection of small formations into one spherical form;the tumor has a violet-red color, the vessels are visible;
- weakness,
- emaciation,
- edema at the site of the disease,
- intoxication,
- rise in temperature,
- appearance of ulcers in the area of the problem,
- signals violations of liver function:
- jaundice,
- enlargement of the liver,
- ascites,
- severe abdominal pain.
Diagnostics of
To determine the type of tumor, to find out all the necessary data for the preparation of a treatment program, perform several actions from the listed diagnostic methods:
- Specialist examination of angiosarcomas, palpation of formation to identify which formation in shape and size is present at the site of the problem:
- plaque,
- node,
- swelling.
- Radiography - with the help of the method it is possible to determine the dislocation pathology along with possible metastases.
- A biopsy is a fence of a small piece of tumor tissue and examining it in the laboratory to make an accurate diagnosis.
- Ultrasound research provides information about where and how the pathology is located, its outlines.
- Detailed information on the type of tumor is provided by a blood test by checking them for cancer markers.
- A layer scan of the area occupied by pathological formation can be obtained using magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. The state of soft tissues will be better shown by the first method, and the second one is able to diagnose the condition of the body's solid tissues well.
What treatment is indicated?
- The only method of treatment is surgical removal of angiosarcoma with the maximum possible excision of tissues adjacent to the tumor to healthy layers.
- In case the pathology is on the limb, it is often resorted to its amputation, because this radical measure sometimes allows saving the life of the patient.
- With a superficial location of the focus, extensive excision of tissues affected by pathology is used. This method is used for tumors whose malignancy is defined as low.
- Angiosarcoma poorly responds to treatment, in addition, after the removal of the tumor, a relapse is possible. However, the radiation exposure is more pronounced than chemotherapy. Therefore, it is often included in the course of treatment before and after the removal of the pathology in order to influence the diseased cells to terminate their vital activity. Primary cancer is susceptible to such an effect, and if a relapse occurs, then radiation therapy in this case is powerless.
- Chemotherapy is also used to improve the outcome of surgical intervention. It is used in the same mode as irradiation: on the eve of the operation and after it. The goal is to warn the possibility of further spread of pathology and the re-occurrence of the problem.
Life expectancy of patients
A favorable prognosis is possible if pathology is detected and treated at the initial stage.
Angiosarcoma refers to pronounced malignant pathologies, so the prognosis after tumor removal is often not optimistic:
- in case of head and scalp damage - a person can live up to 20 months,
- in pathology in patients suffering from lymphostasis - up to threeyears,
- with lesion of the breast glands - up to 5 years.
In cases of distant metastases and relapse, the predictions for healing are pessimistic.
Video resection of cardiac angiosarcoma: