Radiation-Associated Breast Angiosarcoma

Radiation-associated breast angiosarcomas are rare following breast-conserving surgery. These angiosarcomas are considered adverse events associated with radiation therapy and are characterized by a high risk of both local and distant recurrence, even after complete resection. Despite this, there is currently no established standard treatment for them. The patient was a 70-year-old woman who had breastconserving surgery for right breast cancer 10 years before presentation. She was followed up for 10 years after receiving 50 Gy of residual breast irradiation and an aromatase inhibitor for 5 years. During follow-up, a painless purplish area with induration, measuring 10 cm by 5.4 cm, was noted on the right nipple. A skin biopsy confirmed hemangiosarcoma. Treatment included surgery with a 2.0 cm margin from the area, followed by skin excision and total mastectomy. A final diagnosis of radiation-associated breast angiosarcoma was made. Radiation-associated breast angiosarcoma is a rare disease with a poor prognosis that lacks standard treatment. An aggressive skin biopsy should be considered when skin findings such as purpura are seen after breast cancer radiotherapy, as in this case.