Treatment and outcome of 82 patients with angiosarcoma.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
BACKGROUND: Angiosarcomas are an uncommon type of malignancy that are generally thought to behave usually in a locally aggressive fashion; they often metastasize to distant sites. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of angiosarcoma treated at our institution between 1980 and 2006 were analyzed for patient demographics, tumor characteristics, multimodality treatment, and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were divided into those with primary and advanced disease. Overall, the median age was 65 (range, 22-91) years, and 44% of patients were women. Median size of tumors was 3.8 cm, and 76% of tumors were intermediate or high grade. Tumors were located throughout the body: 32 cutaneous, 22 deep soft tissues or organs, 10 radiation or lymphedema field, 8 bone, and 7 nonirradiated breast. Of 46 patients with primary disease, all patients underwent surgical resection, 67% received radiotherapy, and 27% received chemotherapy. Five-year disease-specific survival was 60%, and negative prognostic factors included intermediate or high grade, and tumors arising in a radiated or lymphedema field. Of 36 patients with advanced disease, 36% underwent a palliative operation, 78% received radiation, and 58% received chemotherapy. Median survival was just 7.3 months, and cutaneous tumors predicted a better prognosis compared with other sites. CONCLUSIONS: Primary angiosarcomas treated with aggressive surgical resection and the addition of radiation for close margins or worrisome pathologic features can result in long-term survival in most patients. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy is unclear. Patients with advanced disease have a poor prognosis, but there can be dramatic responses to chemotherapy in a minority of patients.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Abraham, JA; Hornicek, FJ; Kaufman, AM; Harmon, DC; Springfield, DS; Raskin, KA; Mankin, HJ; Kirsch, DG; Rosenberg, AE; Nielsen, GP; Desphpande, V; Suit, HD; DeLaney, TF; Yoon, SS
Published Date
- June 2007
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 14 / 6
Start / End Page
- 1953 - 1967
PubMed ID
- 17356953
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1068-9265
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1245/s10434-006-9335-y
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States