Cutaneous Angiosarcoma of the Head and Neck: A Case Presentation and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Cutaneous angiosarcoma of the head and neck is a rare vascular neoplasm. When it does occm; it is most common in elderly white men. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for local control of this aggressive tumor, but recogniti on can be dela yed because ofits rarity or because ofdifficulty in makin g apathol ogic diagnosis. A combinedmodality treatment approach is most often advocated. We report the case ofa 77-year-old black man who presented with a l-tnonth history of two painless, violaceous, subcentimeter nodules of the upper lip. After a diagnosis of low-grade angiosarcoma was definiti vely established, the lesions were locally excised with good cosmetic and functional results. The pati ent subsequently was found to have probable metastati c disease, but he declinedfurther intervention. We review the literature on cutan eous angiosarcoma, and we discuss its epidemiology, presentation, tissue diagnosis , treatment, and prognosis in an effort to increase awareness of this rare mal ignan cy.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma of the head, neck, and face of the elderly in type 5 skin

“…Trauma was involved in 27% of patients in a case series. [17] Though it is said that trauma is not responsible for the development of angiosarcoma, with a positive history in many patients, the authors doubt whether the relation between trauma and angiosarcoma is a mere coincidence.…”

Unusual Clinical Presentation of Cutaneous Angiosarcoma Masquerading as Eczema: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…Radiotherapy appears to improve local control and possibly overall survival based on retrospective series [5, 14, 23]. When using radiotherapy, an underestimation of the diffuse peripheral expanse of the tumor can limit the likelihood of treatment success [13, 21, 24]. Care must be taken to achieve full dose to the lesion surface and to protect the lenses and corneas as noted in our case.…”

Adult-Onset Tufted Angiomas Associated With an Arteriovenous Malformation in a Renal Transplant Recipient

“…Both those diseases lack "cannonball" pattern of vascular spaces. 29,30 Other vascular lesions that may be considered in the histopathologic differential diagnosis of TA include also angiosarcoma, characterized by anastomosing vascular channels lined by atypical endothelial cells, often surrounding and separating dermal collagen fibers, 31 and pyogenic granuloma, characterized by epidermal peripheral collarette, intralobular thin-walled, open, stellate vessels, ulceration, edema, and inflammatory infiltrate. 32 In conclusion, the unique features of an acquired adult-onset TA associated with an arteriovenous malformation in an elderly transplanted patient are described here.…”