Angiosarcoma

Description

Angiosarcoma is a rare type of cancer that forms in the lining of the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. The lymph vessels are part of the immune system. Lymph vessels collect the bacteria, viruses and waste products from the body and get rid of them.

This type of cancer can occur anywhere in the body. But most often occurs in the skin of the head and neck. On rare occasions, can be formed on the skin of other parts of the body such as the breast. Or it may form in the deeper tissues, such as the liver and heart. Angiosarcoma can occur in areas that were treated with radiation therapy in the past.

The treatment depends on where the cancer is located. The treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

Symptoms

Angiosarcomto the signs and symptoms can vary depending on where the cancer occurs.

Angiosarcoma, which affects the skin

More often, angiosarcoma occurs in the skin of the head and neck. It happens often on the scalp. The symptoms of this form of angiosarcoma include:

  • A raised area of the skin that looks like a bruise.
  • A bruise-like lesion that grows with time
  • An injury that may bleed when scratched or struck
  • Swelling in the skin around the injury

Angiosarcoma, which affects the organs

When angiosarcoma affects organs such as the liver or the heart, which often causes pain. Other symptoms depend on the location of the angiosarcoma.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your health care provider if you have any persistent
symptoms that worry you.

Causes

It is not clear what the cause of the majority of angiosarcomas. Researchers have identified factors that may increase the risk of the disease.

Angiosarcoma occurs when cells in the lining of the blood vessels or lymph vessels, develop changes in their DNA. The DNA of a cell contains the instructions that tell the cell what to do. The changes, which the doctors called mutations, indicate cells that multiply rapidly. The changes cause the cells to maintain life when healthy cells would die.

The result is an accumulation of cancer cells that can grow beyond the blood vessel or lymph vessel. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy healthy body tissue. At the time, cancer cells can break off and spread to other areas of the body.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase the risk of angiosarcoma include:

  • The radiation therapy. Radiation treatment for cancer or other conditions that may increase the risk of angiosarcoma. Angiosarcoma is a rare side effect of radiation therapy.
  • The swelling caused by damage to the lymph vessels. The swelling is caused by a backup of fluid from the lymph is called lymphedema. This occurs when the lymphatic system is blocked or damaged. Lymphedema can happen if lymph nodes during the surgery. This is often done during surgery to treat the cancer. Lymphedema can also occur when there is an infection or other conditions.
  • Chemicals. Angiosarcoma of the liver is linked to the exposure to various chemical substances. Examples of these chemicals include vinyl chloride and arsenic.
  • Genetic syndromes. Certain changes in the genes that people are born with can raise the risk of angiosarcoma. Examplis to include the changes in the genes that cause neurofibromatosis, Maffucci's syndrome, or syndrome of Klippel-trenaunay syndrome, and the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

Angiosarcoma

Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used in the diagnosis of angiosarcoma include:

  • Physical exam. Your health care provider will examine in depth to understand their condition.
  • The removal of a sample of tissue for analysis. Your healthcare provider can remove a sample of the suspect tissue for laboratory testing. This procedure is called a biopsy. Laboratory tests can detect cancer cells. Special tests can give your supplier for more details about the cancer cells.
  • Imaging tests. Imaging tests may give you an idea of the extent of the cancer. The tests may include magnetic resonance, computed tomography and positron emission tomography (PET). Which tests you undergo depends on your situation.

Treatment

That angiosarcoma of treatment is best for you depends on your situation. Your health care team considers that the cancer of the location, its size and whether it has spread to other areas of the body.

Treatment options may include:

  • Surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove all of the angiosarcoma. The surgeon will remove the cancer and some healthy tissue around it. Sometimes, surgery is not an option. This can happen if the cancer is very large or has spread to other areas of the body.
  • The radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays, such as X-rays and protons, to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is sometimes used after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that remain. Radiation therapy may also be an option if you can't have the surgery.
  • Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs or chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be an option if the angiosarcoma has spread to other areas of the body. Sometimes chemotherapy may be combined with radiation therapy, if you can not undergo surgery.
  • Targeted drug therapy. Targeted drug therapies attack specific chemicals present in the cancer cells. By blocking these chemicals, targeted drug treatments can cause cancer cell to die. For angiosarcoma of treatment, specific drugs could be an option if the cancer is advanced.
  • Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy uses the immune system to fight cancer. The body's immune system could not attack the cancer because the cancer cells of proteins that help to hide from the immune system of the cells. Immunotherapy works by interfering with that process. For angiosarcoma, immunotherapy could be an option of treatment for advanced cancer.

Preparing for your appointment

If you have symptoms that concern you, start by seeing your health care provider. If your doctor suspects you may have an angiosarcoma, you may be referred to a specialist. This could be a doctor who treats diseases of the skin (dermatologist) or one that treats the cancer (oncologist).

Because appointments can be brief, and there is often a lot of information to discuss, it is good to be prepared. Here is somand information to help you prepare, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

  • Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there is anything that you need to do in advance, such as restrict andour diet.
  • Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements you are taking.
  • Have a family member or friend. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that has been lost orr for a missed one.
  • Write questions to ask their provider.

Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of their time together. A list of questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For angiosarcoma, some basic questions to ask your provider include:

  • How advanced is my angiosarcoma?
  • Has my angiosarcoma spread to other parts of my body?
  • What treatments are recommended?
  • What are the benefits and risks of each treatment option?
  • I have other health problems. How can I best manage them together?
  • I'm going to be able to work and do my usual activities during the angiosarcoma treatment?
  • Should I seek a second opinion?
  • Should I see a doctor that treats cancer?
  • How much time do I need to make a decision on the treatment? I can take some time to consider my options?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What sites do you recommend?

If any of the additional questions that occur during your visit, do not hesitate to ask.

What to expect from your doctor

Your provider is likely to ask a series of questions. Be ready to answer them may reserve time to go over points you want to talk in-depth. Your provider may ask:

  • When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
  • Your symptoms are occasional or continuous?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • Nothing seems to improve the symptoms?
  • Does anything seem to make your symptoms worse?
  • Have you been diagnosed with any other medical condition?
  • What medications are you currently taking, including vitamins and supplements?
Symptoms and treatment of Angiosarcoma