Lymphangiosarcoma in postmastectomy lymphedema; a report of six cases in elephantiasis chirurgica

Sentinel node biopsy: an in depth appraisal

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) in primary breast cancer has been taken-up widely to avoid the morbidity attributable to axillary node clearance (ANC). Currently many issues surrounding SNB are undecided. This review summarises why some form of axillary surgery is required and presents data on all aspects of SNB including methodology, clinical results and problems that may delay the introduction of SNB as best practice for all patients with primary breast cancer. There is no long or medium term data relating to the consequences of replacing ANC with SNB, but the mechanisms and probable magnitude of both beneficial and detrimental effects are estimated. A low level of false negative results are inherent to the technique but it is demonstrated that SNB is likely to have an only marginal (0.6%) effect on survival that would be undetectable by clinical trials. Patient sub-groups particularly likely to benefit from SNB are identified.

Squamous cell carcinoma in chronic lymphedema: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising in chronic lymphedema is rare; only nine cases have been reported.

OBJECTIVE

To present the evolution of SCC in chronic lymphedema.

METHODS

Case report and literature review.

RESULTS

The tumor was treated by wide excision and covered by a skin graft.

CONCLUSION

In most of the other reported SCC cases in lymphedema, there are additional factors for carcinogenesis. There is no additional carcinogenic factor except for chronic lymphedema in our case. This strongly supports that lymphedema itself is one of the carcinogenic factors for not only angiosarcoma but also SCC.

An unusual case of metastatic post-irradiation breast sarcoma

A 71-year-old lady developed a left breast angiosarcoma 10 years after a wide local excision and external beam radiotherapy for invasive breast cancer. Three years after a left simple mastectomy for the angiosarcoma, she presented with metastatic angiosarcoma in the contralateral axilla. There were no local or distant metastases. This is the first reported case of isolated contralateral axillary metastases from post-irradiation angiosarcoma of the breast. A previous study has reported ipsilateral axillary metastases in relation to secondary breast angiosarcoma. Contralateral axillary metastases have always been associated with extensive distant metastases. We present a review of the available literature on radiation-associated breast angiosarcomas.

Angiosarcoma in a chronically immunosuppressed renal transplant recipient: report of a case and review of the literature

Angiosarcomas are rare malignant tumors of endothelial origin that occur predominantly in the adult population. To date, only 12 cases have been described after renal transplantation. We review the literature and present an additional case of a 59-year-old patient in whom lower-extremity lesions of cutaneous angiosarcoma developed several years after transplantation. Of the 13 patients, clinical details were available in only 12 cases. There were 10 male and 2 female patients. The mean age at diagnosis was 47.6 years (age range, 28-71 years). Almost all patients were on a combination immunosuppressive regimen, and the interval between transplantation and the development of the tumor was variable in the range of 8 months to 12 years. In five patients, the tumor arose within or adjacent to an arteriovenous fistula site. Cutaneous involvement was observed in only four cases. The histologic spectrum consisted of both well-differentiated and poorly differentiated tumors. In one patient, features of the hemophagocytic syndrome were clinically present and the tumor morphologically displayed prominent erythrophagocytosis. In two of the cases, including the patient described in the current report, polymerase chain reaction was performed on lesional tissue for human herpesvirus-8 and the result was negative for the presence of viral DNA. Despite the use of multimodal aggressive therapy in most patients, death as a result of disease dissemination occurred over variable time periods (range, 1-15 months).

[Volumetrics: an indispensable complementary test in lymphology]

In patients with lymphedema, the volume of the affected limb is rarely measured in routine practice or may only be appreciated by a method giving a result in centimetres, an incorrect unit for volume quantification. Measurement of limb volume allows early diagnosis of lymphedema, long before the clinical signs appear. Two methods exhibit excellent reproducibility: the water displacement method which is the gold standard, with an accuracy of 0.7% and reproducibility of 1.3%, and the perimetric method, which has a good intraclass coefficient of correlation of 0.99. The water displacement method is the gold standard because it is the only one that gives the exact volume of the limb, including its extremity (hand or foot), but it has the drawback of requiring water. The perimetric method has two drawbacks: it does not include the hand or foot in the volume measure, and therefore gives an approximate volume of the affected limb, and it requires a computer to calculate the cone volumes. Taking, as an example of limb volume measurement, the case of patients operated for breast cancer, a difference between the post and pre postoperative volumes of < or = 100 mL is reassuring, a difference > 100 and < or = 250 mL requires regular surveillance, and a difference exceeding 250 mL is an indication for drainage and elastic compression. When the preoperative limb volume is unknown, the volume of the ipsilateral limb can be used.

Angiosarcoma after breast-conserving therapy: experience with hyperfractionated radiotherapy

PURPOSE

To report our promising results of hyperfractionated radiotherapy (RT) in conjunction with surgery for angiosarcoma occurring after breast-conserving therapy for early-stage breast cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Since 1997, 3 cases of angiosarcoma after breast-conserving therapy have been managed at the University of Florida. The histologic specimens in each case were reviewed and graded by one of us (J.D.R.).

RESULTS

Explosive growth of discolored skin lesions coincident with histologic evidence of angiosarcoma characterized all 3 cases but was preceded by a fairly indolent period (almost 2 years) of atypical vascular hyperplasia in 2 patients. All 3 patients were treated initially with radical surgery for the angiosarcoma, but extensive recurrences were noted within 1 to 2 months of surgery. Because of the extremely rapid growth noted before and after surgery, hyperfractionated RT was used. Two of the patients underwent planned resection after RT, and neither specimen demonstrated any evidence of high-grade angiosarcoma. All 3 patients were alive without any recurrent disease 22, 38, and 39 months after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperfractionated irradiation appears to be effective treatment for rapidly proliferating angiosarcoma. For previously untreated angiosarcoma, we now recommend hyperfractionated RT followed by surgery to enhance disease control and remove as much reirradiated tissue as possible.

Two cases of Kaposi's sarcoma mimicking Stewart-Treves syndrome found to be human herpesvirus-8 positive

Although angiosarcoma is the most frequent tumor arising in the clinical setting of chronic lymphedema, as in Stewart-Treves syndrome, Kaposi's sarcoma has also been reported in this setting, although rarely. We describe two women who developed Kaposi's sarcoma in the lymphedematous arm many years after surgery for breast cancer. Case 1 is a 92-year-old and Case 2 is an 81-year-old; they underwent left total mastectomy and axillary node dissection for infiltrating breast carcinoma in 1981 and 1982 respectively. At that time, neither patient received further treatment. Except for persistent lymphedema, both women did well until over fourteen years later when each noted the development of several purple asymptomatic plaques on the edematous arm. In both, the clinical diagnosis at the time of biopsy was angiosarcoma. However, histologic findings in both cases were typical for Kaposi's sarcoma. In addition, a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of a 233bp segment of KSHV/HHV8 was performed on DNA extracted from the paraffin-embedded specimens and both cases were positive for this sequence. Histologic sections of both cases were also tested for KSHV by in situ hybridization and demonstrated a positive signal in the lesional cells in each case.

Hemorrhage in cerebral metastasis from angiosarcoma of the heart: case report

The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical and pathological features of metastatic angiosarcoma in the central nervous system. Only a few cases of cerebral metastasis from angiosarcoma of the heart have been recorded in the literature; particularly related to intracerebral hemorrhage. A case of secondary cerebral angiosarcoma of the heart in a 33 years old man is presented. The initial symptoms were headache, vomiting, lethargy and aphasia. There was a mass in the left temporal lobe with hemorrhage and edema on the computerized tomography (CT). After 24 hours the neurological status worsened and another CT scan showed rebleeding on the tumor area. He underwent an emergency craniotomy but died two days after. Considering the longer survival of sarcoma patients with new modalities of treatment, the incidence of brain metastasis may increase, demanding a better preventive and more aggressive approach. Besides, due to the hemorrhagic nature of such lesions, we suggest the immediate surgery to prevent a fast and lethal evolution because rebleeding.

Lymphedema: strategies for management

An important sequela of cancer treatment is lymphedema. Management of this condition must be based on the physiologic functioning of the lymphatic system and tailored to the individual patient's presentation of the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent worsening of the condition and to help assuage the psychologic impact of the disease. A review of the normal and impaired lymphatic system is presented in this article. Current assessment and treatment options are described, including education of patients in precautions, positioning, exercise, compression garments and bandages, pneumatic pumps, and lymphatic massage. Also included is a discussion of the psychologic impact of the disease as well as management of psychologic symptoms. Various strategies for management of the physical aspects of lymphedema are available. Studies have shown that use of physical treatments such as exercise, compression, and lymphatic massage are effective in reducing the amount of swelling in affected limbs. The specific type, amount, and combination of these treatments continues to be debated. The development of lymphedema is commonly associated with significant psychologic distress that can impact on compliance with physical treatments. Because there is no consensus as to the optimal treatment approach for management of lymphedema, additional research must ensue to determine the efficacy of existing treatments and to develop new management techniques. Clinicians must be attuned to the signs and symptoms of lymphedema in order to make prompt referrals for treatment.

[Stewart-Treves syndrome following mastectomy for breast cancer: a case report]

INTRODUCTION

Stewart-Treves syndrome has been defined by the eponymous authors as a lymphangiosarcoma in a setting of postmastectomy upper extremity lymphoedema.

EXEGESIS

The clinical record of one patient with Stewart-Treves syndrome is analyzed. The primary angiosarcoma of the skin represented by a purple nodule occurred on a chronic lymphoedematous arm following radical mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection for breast carcinoma performed 9 years earlier. Immunohistochemistry tests formally eliminated epithelial cutaneous metastasis and produced evidence in favour of conjunctive vascular tissue origin of the tumor.

CONCLUSION

Conservative surgery for breast cancer, application of axillary sentinel node biopsy in the lymphatic staging and prevention of arm lymphoedema should reduce the incidence of this syndrome.

Increased risk of soft tissue sarcoma after radiotherapy in women with breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies to date have suggested an association between radiation exposure and the development of soft tissue sarcoma. The current study was performed to quantify the risk of soft tissue sarcoma in the vicinity of previously irradiated anatomic regions in women with breast carcinoma.

METHODS

In this population-based, retrospective cohort study, 194,798 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma (exclusive of those with distant metastasis) between 1973--1995 were identified, and subsequent soft tissue sarcoma cases utilizing the data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) were ascertained. Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate age standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and to model the influence of radiotherapy (RT) on the relative risk (RR) between the RT and non-RT cohorts.

RESULTS

A total of 54 women in the RT cohort and 81 women in the non-RT cohort subsequently developed soft tissue sarcoma. In the RT cohort, the SIR was 26.2 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 16.5--41.4) for angiosarcoma and was 2.5 (95% CI, 1.8--3.5) for other sarcomas; in the non-RT cohort, the SIRs were 2.1 (95% CI, 1.0--4.4) and 1.3 (95% CI, 1.0--1.7), respectively. The RT cohort demonstrated a higher risk of developing both angiosarcoma (RR: 15.9; 95% CI, 6.6--38.1) and other sarcomas (RR: 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4--3.3) compared with the non-RT cohort, and the largest increase was observed in the chest wall/breast. The elevated RR was significant even within 5 years of RT, but it reached a maximum between 5--10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of soft tissue sarcoma, especially angiosarcoma, was elevated after RT in women with breast carcinoma.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma complicating morbid obesity

Herein, we report a case of cutaneous angiosarcoma in a 35-year-old, morbidly obese woman. The tumor arose in the most dependent portion of the lower abdominal panniculus and showed typical changes of chronic lymphedema. The patient underwent a radical resection of her lower abdominal wall panniculus, which showed a multicentric, high-grade angiosarcoma with bilateral superficial inguinal lymph node metastases. Histologically, conventional vasoformative areas were admixed with poorly differentiated sheets of spindle and epithelioid cells. Factor VIII was focally positive (membranous), whereas CD31 showed robust, diffuse positivity (membranous and cytoplasmic). The initial margins of resection were negative, and no follow-up radiation or chemotherapy was given. Following a recurrence at the previous excision site, the patient died 7 months after the surgery. Postmortem examination revealed a widely metastatic tumor that involved multiple organ systems. We believe this is the second report of cutaneous angiosarcoma occurring in a chronically lymphedematous abdominal panniculus due to morbid obesity.

Angiosarcoma after conservative treatment and radiation therapy for adenocarcinoma of the breast

Radio-induced angiosarcoma of the breast after conservative therapy for invasive adenocarcinoma is a very rare tumour. Between 1996 and 2000, four cases were operated in our Department of Surgical Oncology. After a review of the literature over the same period of time, natural history and treatment of radio-induced angiosarcomas of the breast were analysed.

Lymphangiosarcoma (Stewart-Treves syndrome) in postmastectomy patients

Stewart-Treves syndrome (STS) is a rare but aggressive upper extremity lymphangiosarcoma in postmastectomy patients. Unfamiliarity with this disease and the innocuous appearance of the tumor often lead to delayed diagnosis. A comprehensive search of the databases at a single tertiary-care academic institution revealed only 3 cases of STS in the last 63 years. The latency time between breast cancer treatment and diagnosis of STS was 11 to 21 years. Survival after diagnosis of STS ranged from 8 to 15 months. One patient underwent radical surgery. The extensive lymphangiosarcoma in the other 2 patients precluded surgical resection and they underwent chemotherapy. All patients had adjuvant radiation therapy at the time of the original breast cancer resection. This report includes a discussion of the epidemiology, etiology, presentation, treatment, and prognosis of STS.

Angiosarcoma of the breast after quadrantectomy and postoperative radiotherapy for carcinoma

Angiosarcoma of the breast following conservation surgery and radiotherapy for carcinoma is rare. We report a case occurring after a latent period of 8 years, which required excision with a 5 cm margin and latissimus dorsi flap repair.

Liposuction gives complete reduction of chronic large arm lymphedema after breast cancer

About one-third of all women treated for breast cancer develop arm lymphedema. In addition to the worry of the cancer itself, the swollen and heavy arm is both a physical and a psychosocial handicap for the patients. Previous surgical and conservative treatments have not always given satisfactory and permanent results, conceivably because lymphedema causes hypertrophy of the subcutaneous adipose tissue. From this point of view, liposuction (LS) combined with Controlled Compression Therapy (CCT) is an interesting approach, as the hypertrophied adipose tissue is effectively removed and the outcome sustained by wearing a compression garment. Pre- and postoperative arm edema volumes were measured using the water displacement technique. Skin blood flow was recorded using Laser Doppler imaging. Lymph transport in the arm was assessed by indirect lymphoscintigraphy. LS + CCT reduced the arm edema volume completely, compared with a 50% decrease following CCT alone. The use of a compression garment after liposuction is necessary in order to maintain the normalized arm volume. LS + CCT did not affect the already impaired lymph transport; it merely increased skin microcirculation. A reduced incidence of cellulitis was noted.

Lymphoedema following surgery for breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Lymphoedema is a common complication of breast cancer treatment, affecting approximately a quarter of patients. Those affected can have an uncomfortable, unsightly and sometimes functionally impaired limb prone to episodes of superficial infection. The aetiology, pathophysiology and management of these patients is poorly understood.

METHODS

This is a systematic review of all published literature on lymphoedema following treatment for breast cancer, using the Medline and Cinahl databases with cross-referencing of major articles on the subject up to the end of 1999.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The aetiology and pathophysiology of lymphoedema in patients with breast cancer appear to be multifactorial and are still not fully understood. Although conservative treatment techniques can be very successful in controlling symptoms, they do not afford a cure. The place of surgical and pharmacological therapy remains unclear. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology may assist in reducing the incidence of this condition, or help to identify those at greatest risk, in whom early initiation of conservative treatment measures may prove effective.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma in an irradiated breast after breast conservation therapy for cancer: association with chronic breast lymphedema

The authors report a rare case of cutaneous angiosarcoma arising more than 5 years after excision of a 1.5 cm invasive ductal cancer of the breast. All lymph nodes were negative for metastatic breast cancer in this 68-year-old female. The patient had postoperative therapy consisting of 5040 cGy over a 5 week period using a 6 Megavolt linear accelerator. After radiation therapy to the breast and axillae, the patient developed chronic hard, taut edema of the irradiated right breast. Tamoxifen was administered for 5 years and then stopped. Three months after the cessation of tamoxifen, cutaneous angiosarcoma was found by skin biopsy. A complete mastectomy removed all tumor with clear margins. There are less than 60 cases of radiation associated breast angiosarcoma found in the literature. The presence of chronic lymphedema in the breast after radiation therapy possibly contributes to the development and is an early warning sign for later development of secondary angiosarcoma. The characteristic purple nodules and discoloration of the irradiated skin is the hallmark to suspect the diagnosis. The authors recommend long-term clinical surveillance for this tumor for all patients who have received breast conservative surgical therapy with concomitant radiation therapy for primary breast cancer.

Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma of the leg in a chronic lymphedematous extremity

This is a case report of a woman who had chronic lymphedema on one leg and who developed a primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphoma of the leg at that site. She received radiotherapy and did not show any systemic involvement thereafter. Other neoplasms may appear in a clinical setting of chronic lymphedema, namely, lymphangiosarcoma (Stewart-Treves), melanoma, and metastatic carcinoma. There are four other reports in the English literature of cutaneous lymphoma arising in an extremity with chronic lymphedema.

Intra-arterial mitoxantrone and paclitaxel in a patient with Stewart-Treves syndrome: selection of chemotherapy by an ex vivo ATP-based chemosensitivity assay

We report on a 72-year-old patient developing Stewart-Treves syndrome (STS) of the right arm 9 years after curative irradiation for ipsilateral stage III breast cancer. Facing the poor track record of both irradiation and chemotherapy in this highly malignant lymphangiosarcoma, amputation was recommended but refused by the patient. Therefore, limb conserving-therapy using three courses of intra-arterial mitoxantrone (MX) and paclitaxel (PTX) was attempted. This novel chemotherapy protocol was selected by pretherapeutic ex vivo ATP-based chemosensitivity testing of autologous tumor tissue. The patient experienced complete response, which was subsequent histologically confirmed by compartment resection. When developing recurrent STS outside of the perfused area 6 months after primary therapy, the patient was retested and reinduced with three other courses of intraarterial MX/PTX which again produced durable complete remission. This case demonstrates the benefit of indivdualized therapy in this prognostically desperate disease allowing both limb conservation and maintained quality of life.

Role of surgery in the management of postmastectomy extremity angiosarcoma (Stewart-Treves syndrome)

Stewart-Treves syndrome (STS) is the rare occurrence of angiosarcoma in a setting of postmastectomy upper extremity lymphedema. A collective comparison of outcomes following various initial treatment options in STS has not previously been reported. We reviewed 160 cases of STS reported in the literature since 1966. We analyzed the relationship between initial treatment and survival in all 92 of these patients for whom detailed treatment and outcome data had been reported. There was no significant difference in survival comparing those initially treated with wide excision (n = 16) and those treated with amputation (n = 45) (P = 0.40). Even in the setting of initial surgical treatment, overall long-term survival was poor (<40%). There have been even fewer long-term survivors among those treated initially with regional chemotherapy (n = 7) or radiation therapy (n = 24). An update on STS and a discussion of recent advances in the understanding of its molecular pathogenesis that may result in future treatment improvements are presented.

Postmastectomy malignant lymphoma

Postmastectomy lymphedema (PML) is a morbid condition occurring in patients with breast carcinoma treated with radical/modified radical mastectomy. Postmastectomy angiosarcoma (PMA) is the most common neoplasia seen in these patients. Primary malignant lymphoma arising in PML is a rare neoplasia and 3 cases have been reported until now. In this report a patient with diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) arising in PML is reported and the other three cases are reviewed.

Multiple cutaneous malignancies arising in limbs with signs of lymphatic insufficiency in transplant patients

We report the cases of four renal transplant patients who developed multiple skin cancers located preferentially on lymphoedematous lower limbs. All skin tumours appeared post-transplant and the diagnosis was confirmed on histologic examination. In addition, one of the patients also underwent mastectomy with axillary dissection and radiotherapy for a left breast ductal carcinoma and subsequently developed multiple squamous carcinomas and intraepithelial carcinomas on the left upper limb.The aetiology of lymphoedema in these patients is multifactorial. In addition to immunosuppression, ultraviolet exposure, genetic factors and possibly infection with the human papilloma virus, which are thought to have a role in the aetiology of certain skin tumours, lymphoedema may have contributed to the predominant location of these skin malignancies on the lymphoedematous limbs.

The risk of angiosarcoma following primary breast cancer

Lymphangiosarcoma of the upper extremity is a rare and aggressive tumour reported to occur following post-mastectomy lymphoedema (Stewart-Treves syndrome). Haemangiosarcoma, a related rare tumour, has occasionally been reported to occur in the breast following irradiation. We conducted a case-control study using the University of Southern California-Cancer Surveillance Program, the population-based cancer registry for Los Angeles County, to evaluate the relationship between invasive female breast cancer and subsequent upper extremity or chest lymphangiosarcoma and haemangiosarcoma together referred to as angiosarcoma. Cases were females diagnosed between 1972 and 1995 with angiosarcoma of the upper extremity (n = 20) or chest (n = 48) who were 25 years of age or older and residing in Los Angeles County when diagnosed. Other sarcomas at the same anatomic sites were also studied. Controls were females diagnosed with cancers other than sarcoma during the same time period (n = 266,444). Cases and controls were then compared with respect to history of a prior invasive epithelial breast cancer. A history of breast cancer increased the risk of upper extremity angiosarcoma by more than 59-fold (odds ratio [OR] = 59.3, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 21.9-152.8). A strong increase in risk after breast cancer was also observed for angiosarcoma of the chest and breast (OR = 11.6, 95% CI = 4.3-26.1) and for other sarcomas of the chest and breast (OR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.7).

Stewart-Treves syndrome after treatment for breast cancer

This study reviews 3 cases of angiosarcoma of the upper extremity after mastectomy and radiotherapy for breast cancer (Stewart-Treves syndrome). Angiosarcoma was diagnosed an average 14 years (from 6.5 to 26 years) after treatment for breast cancer. Presenting signs included a red raised lesion, a palpable mass, a blister appearance (in one case). Two of our three patients underwent surgical treatment: one patient underwent local excision followed by chemotherapy, and the other patient wide excision, followed by external beam radiotherapy. Local recurrence occurred in one of these two patients and was followed by the development of lung metastases. The second patient who had treatment is free of disease without problems. The third patient refused any treatment and died 5 months later. The purpose of this article is to add to the literature 3 new cases of Stewart-Treves syndrome and to discuss some specific problems of this rare tumour.

Angiosarcoma: current review

Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare malignant tumor of the skin and soft tissues. Due to this lesions's histopathologic similarity to other soft tissue and skin neoplasms, several names had been previously used to describe AS. In the following article, we present a comprehensive review of the literature and prior studies pertaining to AS. The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with a better understanding of the causative factors, clinical findings, and histological features of this uncommon but potentially lethal tumor. Furthermore, we discuss present therapeutic options and outcomes as well as summarize recent advances in AS tumor biology and cytogenetics.

Chronic lymphoedema and angiosarcoma

Angiosarcoma has frequently been described arising within chronic lymphoedema of the upper limb following mastectomy and radiotherapy for carcinoma of the breast. We report a case of angiosarcoma arising in a lymphoedematous leg that had been subjected to radiotherapy 20 years previously for Hodgkin's disease. The diagnosis was expedited once the patient noticed the development of bleeding nodules. Prognosis of angiosarcoma is poor with treatment options being wide-excision surgery, palliative radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Unusual bruised areas or bleeding nodules developing within chronic lymphoedematous limbs should be biopsied to exclude the diagnosis.

Reliability of intraoperative frozen section and imprint cytological investigation of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer

AIMS

The sentinel lymph node procedure enables selective targeting of the first draining lymph node, where the initial metastases will form. A negative sentinel node (SN) predicts the absence of tumour metastases in the other regional lymph nodes with high accuracy. This means that in the case of a negative SN, regional lymph node dissection is no longer necessary. Besides saving costs, this will prevent many side-effects of lymph node dissection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of intraoperative cytological and frozen section investigation of the SN to detect metastases. This would allow the axillary lymph node dissection to be performed in the same session as the SN procedure and the excision of the primary tumour in case of a positive SN.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Seventy-four SNs were detected by gamma probe detection of nanocolloid and visual localization of Patent Blue accumulations in 54 women with stage T1-2N0M0 invasive breast cancer. The identified SN were immediately investigated by frozen section and imprint cytological investigation. Diagnoses were confirmed on the paraffin material, and in case of negative frozen section and paraffin haematoxylin and eosin sections, skip sections and immunohistochemistry were performed. Thirty-one SNs (42%) contained metastases, of which 27 were detected by the frozen section procedure (sensitivity 87%). There were no false positives (specificity 100%). The sensitivity of the imprints was 62% with a specificity of 100%. When evaluating the data per patient, for the frozen section procedure the sensitivity was 91% and the specificity 100%, and for the imprints, the sensitivity was 63% and the specificity 100%. There were no SNs in which the imprints showed metastases and the frozen section did not.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative frozen section analysis is a reliable procedure by which a high percentage of sentinel lymph node metastases can be detected in breast cancer patients without false positive results. This allows the surgeon to perform an immediate axillary lymph node dissection in case of positive SNs. In up to 10% of cases, the final paraffin sections will reveal micrometastases that were not detected by the frozen section, and in these patients axillary lymph node dissection will have to be performed in a second session. The imprint method is significantly less sensitive than the frozen section but may be used as an alternative when frozen section is not possible.

Adult soft tissue sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a group of anatomically and histologically diverse tumours. They account for about 1% of adult malignancies, and about 50% of patients diagnosed with sarcoma eventually die of the disease. These tumours are grouped together because of shared biological characteristics and treatment responses.

METHODS

A review of the key literature on STS was undertaken, complemented by data taken from the prospectively accumulated database of 3442 patients treated for STS at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) from July 1982 to December 1997.

RESULTS

Despite advances in knowledge of the molecular genetics of STS, the aetiology in most cases remains elusive. Management has been gradually refined over the last two decades. Core biopsy usually provides enough material for diagnosis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging provide a similar amount of information, which is usually adequate for surgical planning. Amputation as standard treatment for extremity lesions has been replaced by limb-sparing surgery in about 90% of patients. The role of adjuvant radiation has been further defined: it has been shown to be unnecessary for completely excised tumours less than 5 cm in diameter, but effective in decreasing local recurrence for others. Adjuvant chemotherapy has been controversial for many years. Recent meta-analysis of randomized trial results has found a small reduction in local and distant relapse, and a trend to better overall survival. Recurrent or metastatic disease should be completely excised if possible.

CONCLUSIONS

Soft tissue sarcoma requires multidisciplinary care tailored to the individual patient and tumour for optimal results.

Nine breast angiosarcomas after conservative treatment for breast carcinoma: a survey from French comprehensive Cancer Centers

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a survey of the angiosarcomas developing after breast conservation for carcinoma in the French Cancer Centers, to study the evolution of these cases in detail, and to review literature in an attempt to propose an optimal treatment scheme.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eleven of the 20 French Cancer Centers agreed to research and retrospectively analyze all angiosarcomas discovered in patients previously treated by conservative treatment. The majority of the patients were node negative, T1N0M0. The mean age of the patients at the time of primary breast cancer treatment was 62.5 years, and 69 years at the diagnosis of the angiosarcoma.

RESULTS

During the last two decades, nearly 20,000 patients have been treated conservatively in these 11 centers, and only 9 cases of angiosarcoma were found. The median latency period between the treatment of the breast carcinoma and the diagnosis of the breast angiosarcoma was approximately 74 months, with a range of 57-108 months. Mastectomy was performed as the main treatment of this angiosarcoma. All recurrences after mastectomy for the angiosarcoma appeared within 16 months after the mastectomy. A median time of recurrence was found to be 7.5 months, regardless of the treatment. The angiosarcomas appeared to be very aggressive, and chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and sometimes hyperthermia could only palliate the condition for a short time. After the diagnosis of angiosarcoma, the median survival was 15.5 months, showing a particularly poor prognosis. Only 1 patient of 9 is alive without progressive disease at 32 months after salvage mastectomy for the recurrence of the angiosarcoma. Precise data obtained from 11 centers show that, of 18115 breast carcinomas treated conservatively, only 9 breast angiosarcomas are reported, which represents a prevalence of 5 cases of angiosarcoma per 10,000, which is the same prevalence for primary breast angiosarcomas occurring in healthy breasts.

CONCLUSION

Angiosarcoma developing after breast conserving therapy for carcinoma is a rare event, and induction of it by treatment is controversial. However, early diagnosis is essential and it appears that radical mastectomy gives the highest chance of cure and the best long-term survival.

Lymphangiosarcoma in chronic lymphoedema. Stewart-Treves syndrome

A case of post-mastectomy lymphangiosarcoma is reported. Lymphangiosarcoma is an extremely rare but highly lethal complication of chronic lymphoedema. Our patient was treated by amputation and died 6 months later. Treatment of post-mastectomy lymphangiosarcoma is still unsatisfactory. Early recognition and radical ablative surgery seem to provide best chance for survival.

Primary spheno-orbital angiosarcoma: case report and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

Angiosarcoma is a rare neoplasm that uncommonly involves the cranium. We report the second case in the literature of a primary right spheno-orbital malignant angiosarcoma.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

This 43-year-old man experienced a 3-month history of rapid growing temporal mass. The results of his neurological examination were normal. Neuroimaging revealed an intensively enhanced right spheno-orbital lesion, with destruction of the greater wing of the sphenoid bone and extension into the orbit, the infratemporal fossa, and the temporal fossa with infiltration of the dura mater but without parenchymal abnormality.

INTERVENTION

The tumor was first biopsied and then totally removed, with exenteration of the right eye. The histological features were typical of angiosarcoma with immunohistochemical evidence of Factor VIII-related antigen produced by tumor cells. Neither radiotherapy nor chemotherapy was performed. The patient remained well during 16 months of follow-up, without evidence of recurrence on magnetic resonance images.

CONCLUSION

We emphasize the benefit of wide surgical resection without systematic complementary treatment (radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy) in a case of primary angiosarcoma of the cranium. The literature is reviewed.

Soft tissue sarcoma after treatment for breast cancer--a Swedish population-based study

The aim was to quantify the risk of post-treatment sarcoma in breast cancer patients. All 122,991 women with a breast cancer from 1958 to 1992 in the Swedish Cancer Register were followed up for soft tissue sarcomas and 116 were found, giving a standardised incidence ratio of 1.9 (95% CI 1.5-2.2). The absolute risk was 1.3 per 10(4) person-years. The sarcomas were located in the breast region or on the ipsilateral arm in 63% (67/106). There were 40 angiosarcomas and 76 sarcomas of other types. In a case-control study, angiosarcoma correlated significantly with lymphoedema of the arm, odds ratio (OR) 9.5 (95% CI 3.2-28.0), but no correlation with radiotherapy was observed. For other types of sarcoma there was a correlation with the integral dose. The dose-response relationship indicated that the risk increased linearly with the integral dose to 150-200 J and stabilised at higher energies. The OR was 2.4 (95% CI 1.4-4.2) for an energy of 50 J, approximately corresponding to the radiation of the breast after breast-conserving surgery. Thus, only oedema of the arm correlated with angiosarcoma, but for other types of sarcoma the integral dose of radiotherapy was a predictor of the risk.

Lymphedema: classification, diagnosis and therapy

This review presents the diagnostic features, the pathophysiology and the available therapies for lymphedema. This disease is often able to be diagnosed by its characteristic clinical presentation, yet, in some cases, ancillary tests might be necessary to establish the diagnosis, particularly in the early stages of the disease and in edemas of mixed etiology. These diagnostic modalities are also useful in clinical studies. Available modalities include isotopic lymphoscintigraphy, indirect and direct lymphography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and ultrasonography. Lymphedema may be primary or secondary to the presence of other disease and/or to the consequences of surgery. Primary lymphedema may occur at any phase of life but it most commonly appears at puberty. Secondary lymphedema is encountered more often. The most prevalent worldwide cause of lymphedema is filariasis, which is particularly common in south-east Asia. In the USA, postsurgical lymphedema of the extremity prevails. Complications of chronic limb lymphedema include recurrent cellulitis and lymphangiosarcoma. Most patients are treated conservatively, by means of various forms of compression therapy, including complex physical therapy, pneumatic pumps and compressive garments. Volume reducing surgery is performed rarely. Lymphatic microsurgery is still in an experimental stage, although a few centers consistently report favorable outcomes.

Radiation-Induced Sarcoma Following Treatment of Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: Radiation therapy (XRT) is an important modality in the treatment of cancer, and XRT is now commonly utilized in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer. However, its use has occasionally resulted in the development of secondary malignancies. We present a critical review of radiation-induced sarcoma (RIS) that develops after irradiation for the treatment of breast cancer. METHODS: The case of a patient who developed sarcoma after radiation for breast cancer is presented, and current literature on RIS is reviewed. The role of XRT in the development of RIS is examined, and the evaluation and treatment of these malignancies are reviewed. Results: RIS occurs in 0.2% of patients following treatment of breast cancer. The role of radiation in the development of RIS has been clearly demonstrated. Clinical presentation varies, and diagnosis is commonly delayed. Treatment consists of wide surgical excision. The role of chemotherapy is controversial. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of RIS following treatment of breast cancer is rare. Its development has an average latency of over 10 years and likely correlates with the dose and technique of the radiation treatment. The prognosis of patients with RIS following treatment for breast cancer is poor predominantly due to a delay in diagnosis. However, the benefit derived by breast cancer patients from XRT far outweighs the risk of RIS and should not affect the decision to treat these patients with this modality.

Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a recently developed, minimally invasive technique for staging the axilla in patients with breast cancer. It has been suggested that this technique will avoid the morbidity associated with more extensive axillary dissection. A wide range of different methods and materials has been employed for lymphatic mapping, but there has been little consensus on the most reliable and reproducible technique.

METHODS

This is a comprehensive review of all published literature on sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer, using the Medline and Embase databases and cross-referencing of major articles on the subject.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Sentinel node biopsy is a valid technique in breast cancer management, providing valuable axillary staging information. The optimal technique of lymphatic mapping utilizes a combination of vital blue dye and radiolabelled colloid. However, there remain controversial issues which require to be resolved before sentinel node biopsy becomes a widely accepted part of breast cancer care.

Epithelioid angiosarcoma arising in a surgically constructed arteriovenous fistula: a rare complication of chronic immunosuppression in the setting of renal transplantation

Immunosuppression in the setting of solid organ transplantation is associated with the development of a variety of malignant tumors, most commonly squamous carcinomas and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Sarcomas, apart from Kaposi's sarcoma, are relatively infrequent. We recently encountered a 71-year-old man with chronic renal failure, treated by allograft kidney transplantation, who developed a high-grade epithelioid angiosarcoma at the site of a nonfunctioning arteriovenous fistula, previously constructed for hemodialysis. At diagnosis, the patient had numerous satellite nodules of angiosarcoma involving the distal skin, soft tissues, and bones. After a below-elbow amputation, there was a rapid local recurrence at the amputation stump. Currently, the patient is alive with numerous pulmonary metastases, 6 months after amputation. A literature review identified three recently reported identical cases of epithelioid angiosarcoma arising in nonfunctioning arteriovenous fistulae. All three patients had been treated by kidney transplantation for renal failure, suggesting a possible causal association between these events. We performed polymerase chain reaction for human herpes virus 8, the recently recognized herpes virus proposed as a major etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, and possibly some conventional angiosarcomas, but we failed to identify any viral DNA within the tumor.

Flow cytometry in breast cancer: prognostic and surgical indications of the sparing of axillary lymph node dissection

The lymph node status is still regarded as the most important prognostic factor in breast cancer. However, the utility of axillary lymph node dissection in clinically node-negative patients with breast cancer as a therapeutic approach rather than a pathologic staging procedure has been recently discussed. DNA index (DI) and S-phase fraction (SPF), evaluated by flow cytometric analysis, are two prognostic factors used especially in the assessment of the adjuvant therapy in stage N0 tumors. By studying a large number of cases, the authors aimed to assess the potential role of flow cytometry in predicting lymph node status. Two hundred eleven patients with breast cancer were included. Each tumor specimen was freshly analyzed by flow cytometry to assess DI and SPF. The authors also evaluated TNM status of patients, estrogen- and progesterone-receptor (ER and Pgr) status, and histologic grades. A group of patients with negative axillary lymph nodes was identified by means of association of tumor size of 2 cm or less, DI of 1, and SPF less than 7%. The ER and PgR status as well as histologic grade were significantly more favorable in this group of patients. These findings indicate that association of DI, SPF value, and tumor size may be predictive of axillary lymph node status in breast cancer.