Lymphangiosarcoma

Abstract

Lymphangiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy. It is always associated with chronic lymphedema. This disease was described in 1948 by F.W. Stewart and N. Treves in 6 patients undergoing mastectomy. The incidence of lymphangiosarcoma is varied from 0.07 to 0.45 %. Average time of developing lymphangiosarcoma after mastectomy is 10.3 years. The etiology of this malignant tumor remains uncertain. Histologically LAS arises from epithelial cells of lymphatic vessels in the area of chronic lymphedema. There is no standard treatment of lymphangiosarcoma. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy do not significantly improve the survival rate. At the moment, wide local excision and amputation offer the best chance for long-term survival. Unfortunately, the prognosis remains poor.The study objective – is to draw attention to lymphangiosarcoma and to show the importance of its prevention.