This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Abraham, J. A. Articles by Yoon, S. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Abraham, J. A. Articles by Yoon, S. S.

Treatment and Outcome of 82 Patients with Angiosarcoma

¹ Orthopedic Oncology, Department of Orthopedics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 7B-7926, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
² Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 7B-7926, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
³ Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 7B-7926, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
⁴ Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 7B-7926, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
⁵ Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 7B-7926, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114

Correspondence: Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Sam S. Yoon, MD; E-mail: syoon{at}partners.org

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.

Key Words: Sarcoma • Angiosarcoma • Outcome • Radiotherapy

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. R. Kim, S. Y. Rha, S. H. Cheon, J. K. Roh, Y. N. Park, and N. C. Yoo Clinical features and treatment outcomes of advanced stage primary hepatic angiosarcoma Ann. Onc., April 1, 2009; 20(4): 780 - 787. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]