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Angiosarcoma of the Breast and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor

Background Breast angiosarcoma is rare and often associated with previous breast cancer treatment. The present study aimed to define long-term outcomes in relation to common prognostic factors. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor was also evaluated, as it may be a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapy. Patients and methods We retrospectively assessed outcomes in relation to age, association with previous breast-conserving treatment for breast cancer, tumor size, and grade in 19 patients without metastases at diagnosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor was also assessed. Results Median follow-up was 33 months (range, 1–121). There were 6 local recurrences and 6 deaths for disease progression. Five-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 53% (95% CI, 20–86%) and 49% (95% CI, 14–84%), respectively. No factor significantly affected survival. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor was positive in 50% of cases and was more frequent in better differentiated cancer. Conclusions The association of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor with G1/G2 tumors requires further investigations. Our findings suggest that anti-angiogenic treatment in vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-positive cases be considered as a novel therapeutic modality in this rare and aggressive disease. Although information is still incomplete, we propose a multimodal therapeutic approach including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Free full text available at www.tumorionline.it