Lymphangiosarcoma in postmastectomy lymphedema (Stewart-Treves syndrome): ultrastructural and immunohistologic characteristics

Sarcomas of the sellar region: a systematic review

PURPOSE AND METHODS

Sarcomas of the sellar region are uncommon and unexpected tumors. Here, we review the cases reported in literature via a systematic search.

RESULTS

Ninety-four patients, 58.5% male with mean age of 39.2 ± 17.2 years were included. Fifty-seven (62%) had soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and 35 (38%) bone sarcomas (BS). Sarcoma was a primary tumor in 66%, developed after radiotherapy in 31.9% and 7.4% were metastatic. Median time between radiotherapy and sarcoma development was 10.5 (11) years. Main presentation symptoms were visual disorders (87.9%), headache (61.5%) and III cranial nerve palsy (24.1%). After surgery, sarcoma persisted or recurred in 82.3% and overall mortality reported was 44.6% with 6.5 (14) months of median survival. Tumor appeared earlier in BS compared to STS (34.4 ± 15.1 vs. 42.6 ± 17.6 years), p = 0.034 and complete tumor resection was achieved more often (41.3% vs. 4.4%), p =  < 0.001. Condrosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma were more frequent subtypes among primary tumors while fibrosarcoma was among post-radiation sarcomas. Tumor size was larger in radiation associated sarcomas (mean maximum diameter 46.3 ± 9.3 vs. 29.1 ± 8.0 mm, p = 0.004) and persistency/recurrence was similar in both groups (70.1 vs. 73.3%, p = 0.259).

CONCLUSION

Sarcomas appear as mass effect symptoms in the middle aged population, mainly as primary tumors, but one third is associated with radiotherapy. Surgery is commonly not curative, mortality rate is high and death ensues shortly after diagnosis.

Unsuspected Stewart-Treves syndrome clinically mimicked by apparent bullous erysipelas and a systematic review of dermatological presentations of the classical Stewart-Treves syndrome

BACKGROUND

Stewart Treves-Syndrome (STS) was first characterized as angiosarcoma in the homolateral limb of a patient with breast cancer and lymphedema. Now, other conditions represent STS. It's a rare condition. The diagnosis is easier in the presence of single or multiple purple nodules. Even though other dermatological aspects have been reported, no study has grouped its characteristics.

AIM

Evaluate the dermatological characteristics of classical STS (c-STS).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We report a patient with chronic lymphedema with a history of recurrent erysipelas that rapidly developed multiple papules in the superior limb. It was initially diagnosed as bullous erysipelas, but unsatisfactory evolution led to biopsy, which demonstrated an unsuspected epithelioid angiosarcoma. We have also performed a review of dermatologic aspects of c-STS using PubMed and Lilacs databases. PICTOS methodology and PRISMA flow chart were considered. The main dermatological aspects associated with c-CTS were summarized. Using a systematic evaluation from 109 articles, 29 were selected and 44 patients were described to whom we added one case. The mean time with lymphedema was 10 years. Of the patients analyzed, 97.2% were female; 95.6% were submitted to radical mastectomy; 81.2% presented with multiple lesions, 67.4% of the lesions were reported as nodules or tumors, 53.4% were purple, 33.4% were associated with an ecchymotic halo, and 33.4% were ulcerated lesions.

CONCLUSION

When evaluating patients with chronic lymphedema with new dermatological abnormalities, clinical suspicion, or unfavorable evolution, the knowledge of clinical signs is important for diagnosis, and a biopsy must be considered. Papules associated with erythematous-wine color and bluish hematoma aspect must raise clinical suspicion.

Feasibility study of combined dynamic imaging and lymphaticovenous anastomosis surgery for breast cancer-related lymphoedema

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) presents a significant healthcare burden and adversely affects quality of life of breast cancer survivors. A prospective feasibility study was performed on lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) for the treatment of BCRL.

METHODS

Patients with BCRL underwent near-infrared spectroscopy with indocyanine green lymphatic mapping to identify suitable lymphatic channels for LVA. End-to-end anastomoses to subdermal venules were performed and patients recommenced compression garment therapy (CGT) after surgery. Volumetric assessment of the affected limb was performed at regular intervals using infrared perometry to calculate the excess volume reduction.

RESULTS

Over a 24-month interval, 27 patients with BCRL underwent LVA. The mean duration of lymphoedema was 3·5 (range 0·5-18) years, and the mean number of LVAs performed was 3 (range 2-5). Twenty-four of the 27 patients completed 12-month follow-up. Patients exhibited three patterns of volumetric response following LVA: sustained response (16 patients), transient response (5) or no response (6). Sustained responders showed an excess volume reduction of -33·2 per cent at 12 months, and this correlated positively with the number of LVAs performed (r = -0·56, P = 0·034). Overall, ten patients were able to downgrade CGT after surgery, and two patients were CGT-free at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

LVA resulted in a sustained volume reduction in selected patients and may offset the burden of CGT. Further work is required to identify biomarkers that predict a favourable response to LVA surgery.

Stewart-Treves Syndrome Involving Chronic Lymphedema after Mastectomy of Breast Cancer

Steward-Treves syndrome is a cutaneous angiosarcoma that usually appears after long evolution of a lymphoedema after mastectomy for mammary neoplasia associated with an axillary dissection. This is a rare disease develop most of the time in upper arm and often confounded with cutaneous metastasis. Only the biopsy and immunohistochemical study confirm the diagnosis. The treatment is surgical and consists of large cutaneous excision, an amputation of the limb or even its disarticulation and will be followed by chemotherapy. Despite the treatment, the prognosis remains severe with poor survival. We report the case of a patient who had a Steward-Treves syndrome 20 years after lymphoedema following a left mastectomy with axillary dissection.

Stewart-Treves syndrome following idiopathic leg lymphoedema: remember sarcoma

Patients with skin complaints secondary to oedema are commonly encountered and can be a diagnostic challenge. Here, we present the case of a 78-year-old lady with Stewart-Treves syndrome, a rare cutaneous angiosarcoma. The histology showed angiocutaneous sarcoma with poorly defined margins. The prognosis remains extremely poor. A successful transfemoral amputation reduced the massive tumour burden and cleared a source of sepsis from this fungating tumour. Our aim is to highlight this rare but high-grade sarcoma which results from chronic lymphoedema. The red flag signs of sarcoma are masses greater than 5 cm, tumours which are rapidly growing, deep to fascia or painful, and tumours that recur after previous surgery. Non-healing or progressive ulceration in the background of chronic lymphoedema should raise the possibility of underlying malignancy. We need a low threshold for biopsy and early referral to an appropriate multidisciplinary team for the optimum management of the patient.

Stem cells show promising results for lymphoedema treatment--a literature review

Lymphoedema is a debilitating condition, manifesting in excess lymphatic fluid and swelling of subcutaneous tissues. Lymphoedema is as of yet still an incurable condition and current treatment modalities are not satisfactory. The capacity of mesenchymal stem cells to promote angiogenesis, secrete growth factors, regulate the inflammatory process, and differentiate into multiple cell types make them a potential ideal therapy for lymphoedema. Adipose tissue is the richest and most accessible source of mesenchymal stem cells and they can be harvested, isolated, and used for therapy in a single stage procedure as an autologous treatment. The aim of this paper was to review all studies using mesenchymal stem cells for lymphoedema treatment with a special focus on the potential use of adipose-derived stem cells. A systematic search was performed and five preclinical and two clinical studies were found. Different stem cell sources and lymphoedema models were used in the described studies. Most studies showed a decrease in lymphoedema and an increased lymphangiogenesis when treated with stem cells and this treatment modality has so far shown great potential. The present studies are, however, subject to bias and more preclinical studies and large-scale high quality clinical trials are needed to show if this emerging therapy can satisfy expectations.

Distant metastases in a young woman with Stewart-Treves syndrome demonstrated by an FDG-PET/CT scan

This 17-year-old woman had chronic congenital lymphedema in the left lower extremity since childhood. She underwent surgeries to remove excessive lymphedematous tissues more than 15 times previously. Histopathology of the specimen from the recent surgery revealed angiosarcoma; therefore, FDG-PET/CT scan was arranged to determine the extent of tumor spread, and distant metastases were discovered. Stewart-Treves syndrome is angiosarcomas that arise secondary to chronic lymphedema. Because of the high lethality of this condition, the FDG-PET/CT scan may be a clinically useful imaging modality to detect the possible malignant transformation earlier for patients with chronic lymphedema.

Lymphangiosarcoma in a cat

This report describes a 5-year-old female cat with lymphangiosarcoma arising within the dermis and subcutis of the caudal mammary region. The mass presented as a large, poorly demarcated and fluctuant swelling with bruising of the overlying skin. Histopathologically, the dermis and subcutis in the affected region were diffusely oedematous, haemorrhagic, and infiltrated by plump spindle cells that formed irregular vascular clefts and cavernous channels. Neoplastic cells were aligned in one or more layers along oedematous collagenous trabeculae. The vascular clefts and channels contained only a few or no erythrocytes. The neoplastic cells had moderate to marked nuclear pleomorphism and prominent nucleoli. Lymphocytes and plasma cells were scattered throughout the neoplasm and the adjacent soft tissues. Immunohistochemical labelling revealed the neoplastic cells to express vimentin, factor VIII-related antigen and the lymphatic endothelial cell marker PROX-1, but the cells did not express cytokeratin. The nuclei of many neoplastic cells expressed the proliferation marker Ki67. These histopathological and immunohistochemical findings confirmed the diagnosis of lymphangiosarcoma. This is the first report describing the usefulness of expression of PROX-1 for differentiating between angiosarcoma of lymphatic and vascular origin in cats.

[Stewart-Treves syndrome]

Lymphangiosarcoma is an uncommon vascular tumor that usually develops in longstanding lymphedema. We gathered the cases of lymphangioma observed in a hospital and attempted to analyze their characteristics: age, sex, localization, treatment and follow-up data. We studied five cases: three cases of Stewart-Treves syndrome after mastectomy and radiotherapy and two cases that developed in patients with late-onset congenital lymphedema. There were four women and one man. Radical surgery was performed in four patients. The techniques employed were: above-knee amputation (one patient), hip disarticulation (one patient), scapulo-humeral disarticulation (two patients) and gemcitabine and radiotherapy in one patient with metastatic disease at diagnosis. Three patients died in the first 14 months of follow-up, while two are disease free after 46 and 86 months respectively. This study confirms the poor prognosis of patients with Steward-Treves syndrome.

Stewart–Treves syndrome—treatment and outcome in six patients from a single centre

AIMS

Stewart-Treves syndrome is an angiosarcoma associated with long-standing lymphoedema, most commonly seen as a rare complication of breast cancer treatment, and is associated with a poor outcome. We present results from six patients supporting the use of early radical surgery to improve prognosis.

METHODS

Six patients with Stewart-Treves syndrome were diagnosed and treated at our centre over an 11-year period. Five patients had forequarter amputation and the sixth had a through-hip amputation.

RESULTS

Four of the six patients are alive and well following surgery (at 3, 16, 23, and 135 months after amputation); one patient died from metastatic disease at 15 months and the second died due to an unrelated malignancy.

CONCLUSION

Early diagnosis and treatment by radical ablative surgery confers a reasonable prognosis with this rare but aggressive disease. A nihilistic approach is unjustified.

Long-term survival after radical operations for cancer treatment-induced sarcomas: how two survivors invite reflection on oncologic treatment concepts

Extent and radicality of surgical oncologic treatment has changed in the past 30 years. Two patients with node-positive breast cancer are presented, who underwent (total or radical) mastectomy with lymphadenectomy and postoperative radiation 24 and 40 years ago. A radiation-associated sarcoma of the parascapular soft tissue developed in one patient 9 years after treatment; the other one sought treatment for a lymphedema-associated Stewart-Treves lymphangiosarcoma 16 years after initial therapy. Both patients underwent a forequarter amputation for their treatment-associated high-grade sarcoma. Both are currently alive and cancer-free 15 and 24 years after amputation. These reports remind us that radical locoregional treatment can cure some solid cancers in the absence of systemic therapy; that such extensive treatment may induce significant disability or secondary malignancies long-term; that even advanced treatment-associated sarcomas can be cured with aggressive resection; that today's multimodality therapy approaches and appropriate patient selection have rendered such extensive locoregional treatment for many tumors obsolete or unnecessary; and that if no effective alternative treatment exists and organ or limb preservation is not feasible, an aggressive resection approach for high-grade cancer should not be discounted unless systemic failure is certain or imminent.

Atypical hemangioma of the breast: a diagnostic pitfall in breast fine-needle aspiration

We report on the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of atypical hemangioma of the breast in a 52-yr-old female. The patient presented with a 2-cm palpable left breast mass. An FNA of the mass was performed following a mammogram, corresponding to the palpable breast mass. The FNA demonstrated the presence of numerous atypical single spindle cells scattered throughout a hemorrhagic background. An unequivocal diagnosis of malignancy was not rendered in this case. However, the degree of cytologic atypia suggested a malignant process, and a recommendation for an excisional biopsy was made. Atypical hemangioma should therefore be included in the differential diagnosis of angiosarcoma and other benign and malignant spindle-cell lesions of the breast encountered on cytologic samples.

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.

Splenic angiosarcoma: a clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic study of 28 cases

Primary angiosarcoma of the spleen is a rare neoplasm that has not been well characterized. We describe the clinical, morphologic, and immunophenotypic findings of 28 cases of primary splenic angiosarcoma, including one case that shares features of lymphangioma/lymphangiosarcoma. The patients included 16 men and 12 women, aged 29 to 85 years, with a mean of 59 years and median of 63 years. The majority of patients (75%) complained of abdominal pain, and 25% presented with splenic rupture. The most common physical finding was splenomegaly (71%). Seventeen of 21 patients were reported to have anemia. Macroscopic examination showed splenomegaly in 85% cases. Sectioning revealed discrete lesions in 88% of cases, ranging from well-circumscribed firm nodules to poorly delineated foci of necrosis and hemorrhage associated with cystic spaces. Microscopically, the tumors were heterogenous; however, all cases demonstrated at least a focal vasoformative component lined by atypical endothelial cells. Solid sarcomatous, papillary, and epithelioid growth patterns were observed. The solid sarcomatous component resembled fibrosarcoma in two cases and malignant fibroushistiocytoma in one case. Hemorrhage, necrosis, hemosiderin, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and intracytoplasmic hyaline globules were frequently identified. A panel of immunohistochemical studies revealed that the majority of tumors were immunoreactive for at least two markers of vascular differentiation (CD34, FVIIIRAg, VEGFR3, and CD31) and at least one marker of histiocytic differentiation (CD68 and/or lysozyme). Metastases developed in 100% of patients during the course of their disease. Twenty-six patients died of disease despite aggressive therapy, whereas only two patients are alive at last follow-up, one with disease at 8 years and the other without disease at 10 years. In conclusion, primary splenic angiosarcoma is an extremely aggressive neoplasm that is almost universally fatal. The majority of splenic angiosarcomas coexpress histiocytic and endothelial markers by immunohistochemical analysis, which suggest that some tumors may originate from splenic lining cells.

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.

Lymphedema-induced lymphangiosarcoma

A series of eight patients with chronic lymphedema-related lymphangiosarcoma is presented. All but one case showed a typical rapid progression and fatal outcome, as has been reported in other series. In one patient the lymphangiosarcoma developed on the chest wall, the axilla and the arm where persisting lymphedema and fibrosis occurred after bilateral mastectomy and bilateral postoperative radiotherapy. In this patient an asymptomatic course and slow locoregional progression of lesions was seen. The clinical picture, the etiological considerations and the therapeutic options of the lymphedema-induced lymphangiosarcoma with regard to the literature are discussed.

Lymphangiosarcoma. Reports of 3 cases and review of the literature

Three cases of lymphangiosarcoma have been followed recently. All were finally treated by amputation. Only one is actually disease-free. The other two developed local recurrence at the thoracic cage. An extensive review of the literature follows the case presentation.

Modern therapeutic approaches to postmastectomy brachial lymphedema

Over the past 10 years we have treated 36 patients affected by upper limb lymphedema, associated with mastectomy and axillary dissection, by either macrosurgical exeresis or microsurgical techniques. All cases had been unresponsive to prior drug or physical therapy (pressure and thermal therapy). Preoperative upper limb status was thoroughly examined by evaluating volume measurements, dynamic lymphoscintigraphy, venous Doppler fluximetry, ultrasonography, and nuclear magnetic resonance. Selected tests were repeated during follow-up to obtain more statistically significant results. Twenty-five of the 36 patients in our series presented a grade II lymphedema and underwent Degni-Cordeiro's microsurgical indirect lymphatico-venous shunt (L.V.S.) surgery. Fifteen of the 25 also received fasciotomies performed along the posterior aspect of the forearm. Three of the 36 patients presented grade II lymphedema and upper limb venous hypertension. These were treated with multiple fasciotomies alone. The remaining eight patients presented grade III lymphedemas. Seven underwent Kondoleon's partial superficial lymphangectomy, and one was treated with Servelle's total superficial lymphangectomy. Of the 36 patients who underwent surgery, only 27 were checked at 6 months; 22 were seen at 18 months. The remaining patients were followed up for too short of a period of time to be considered. Results were arranged into three groups. Classification criteria were: reduction of upper limb dimensions and the presence of the pre-existing symptoms (episodes of lymphangitis, pain, functional deficits. Results were considered good (class 3), fair (class 2), or poor (class 1). A positive clinical picture (class 2-3) was seen in 74% (20/27) at 6 months and in 59% (13/22) at 18 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cellulitis after axillary lymph node dissection for carcinoma of the breast

We present a series of patients who developed cellulitis following axillary lymph node dissection for carcinoma of the breast. Bacterial cultures were not helpful in making a diagnosis for the majority of the cases. The clinical scenario of upper extremity cellulitis after axillary dissection mimics the presentation of cellulitis in the lower extremity. Until diagnostic methods or treatment advances can eliminate the indications for axillary lymphadenectomy, many women treated for breast cancer will be at long-term risk for the development of cellulitis due to localized immune impairment. Patient and physician awareness of this syndrome is the best available tool to prevent secondary exacerbation of lymphedema. Prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics appears universally successful. Antistreptococcal antibiotics should not be withheld pending results of blood or tissue cultures, since in only a few cases will a pathogen be isolated. Although there are no studies confirming the concept, it is likely that appropriate treatment for lymphedema may reduce the risk of infection.

Angiosarcoma of the breast after lumpectomy and radiation therapy for adenocarcinoma

Three cases of angiosarcoma of the breast after lumpectomy and radiation therapy for adenocarcinoma are presented. Only two similar cases have been documented. The role of radiation therapy and chronic lymphedema is discussed. Although the overall survival is usually less than 22 months, two of these patients are still alive after 2 years.

The coexistence of lymphangiosarcoma and Kaposi's sarcoma in a renal transplant recipient

A case of coexisting lymphangiosarcoma and Kaposi's sarcoma that occurred in a female renal transplant recipient is presented. Both sarcomas were localized to the skin and were slowly progressive over several years. The coexistence of these two sarcomas may indicate that they arose from a common precursor endothelial cell and that systemic immune suppression may be important in the pathogenesis of both these malignancies.

Angiosarcoma of the skin overlying an irradiated breast

A case of angiosarcoma of the breast which developed six and a half years after treatment for carcinoma of the same breast is reported. As a result of radiotherapy the breast manifested signs of chronic lymphedema prior to development of angiosarcoma. Although the aetiology in this case is uncertain, there was a past history of childhood naevus regressing spontaneously. Angiosarcoma is a well known complication following radiotherapy and lymphedema, and is likely to be seen more frequently as conservation treatment is used more commonly for patients with early breast cancer.