Angiosarcoma

Description:

Angiosarcoma — a rare malignant vascular tumor. Differs in tendency to innidiation and nonsensitivity to treatment. Its frequency in the general structure of sarcomas is estimated at 1-4%. Nearly 60% of angiosarcomas affect skin and soft tissues, about 40% — a liver, bones, a spleen, a mammary gland. All angiosarcomas arise from endothelial cells.

Angiosarcoma symptoms:

    * The angiosarcoma associated with a lymphostasis of extremities (Stewart's syndrome) more often is on a shoulder, in an elbow pole, on a forearm, sometimes  — on a front wall of a thorax, lower extremity. The tumor has single or multiple character. At early stages of development it is shown  by violet livors or intradermal and hypodermic small knots against the background of a lymphostasis that often reminds bruise. Tumors gradually increase in a size, merge themselves, thereby creating a polipopodobny node with an ulcer  or erosive surface, bloody separated. Pathological process can extend to all surface of a shoulder, a thorax.
    * The skin idiopathic angiosarcoma usually is located on the head, a pilar part of the head, a neck and sometimes also on upper or a mandible, in a throat or a throat, on almonds. It is more often observed at men of advanced age. The female is ill twice less often. Age of sick from 67 to 74 years. In the beginning the given type of a tumor is shown by a plaque of red or dark red color which reminds bruise or cellulitis, and later on its background painful nodes with erosion or ulcers on their surface form. The tumor metastasizes with a blood flow, is more often in lungs.
    * Primary angiosarcoma of chest gland very rare tumor which affects only women of 35-45 years, but can sometimes arise during pregnancy. The angiosarcoma represents a painless node of uneven coloring which varies from red till blue color.
    * The post-radiation angiosarcoma  clinically does not differ from other types of an angiosarcoma. But meets in a stomach, a breast, in a basin projection more often.
    * Anemia, anorexia, loss of body weight, fever, intoxication, the general weakness, decrease in working capacity can be the general manifestations in various stages of a disease.

Angiosarcoma reasons:

Scientists connect development of angiosarcomas at the available lymphostasis with unknown carcinogen which accumulates in high concentration in the affected lower extremity at disturbance of outflow of a lymph, vascular factors, decrease in local immunity, influence of radiation. At the same time development of a tumor out of radiation says that radiation is only a cofactor which increases risk of development of a lymphostasis.

There are messages on  emergence of a skin idiopathic angiosarcoma against the background of benign angiogenic tumors, such as an inborn flat tuberous hemangioma, and also about communication with the mechanical injury, a viral infection which is carried out 15-25 years ago by radiation therapy. Development of an angiosarcoma of a liver is connected with chemical carcinogens (androgens, polyvinylchloride, compounds of arsenic), but communication with these substances of skin forms is noted. It is the most frequent (50%) a kind of an angiosarcoma.

Post-radiation angiosarcoma very rare tumor arising at patients who transferred radiation therapy because of endometrial cancer, ovaries, testicles, a breast cancer, a penis, Hodzhkin's disease, a neck of uterus.

Treatment of the Angiosarcoma:

Main operative measures:

    * An exarticulation and amputation of an extremity (performance of saving operation is impossible);

    * Broad excision of fabrics (at angiosarcomas with low degree of a zlokachestvennost and located superficially);

    * Radical organ-preserving operation (an oncotomy and surrounding normal fabrics the uniform block with not changed surrounding muscles and fastion);

Primary tumor is rather sensitive to radiation therapy which is carried out in a look before - and a postoperative course, but a rezistentna angiosarcoma recurrence to its carrying out.

The chemotherapy in a look before - and a postoperative course  for the purpose of reduction of probability of emergence of a recurrence, metastasises after operation is carried out.

Angiosarcoma metastasises which affect first of all lungs, a liver and bones will difficult respond to treatment and are the most frequent cause of death at untimely identification of a new growth.