Navigating secondary breast angiosarcoma: a case report

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Abstract

We describe a rare case of secondary breast angiosarcoma in a 72-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer who presented to our clinic with a painless palpable mass in the outer upper quadrant of the left breast. The diagnosis required a multidisciplinary approach involving a senologist, anatomopathologist, and oncologist. Imaging modalities such as mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging made it possible to assess the extent of the tumor, lymph node involvement, and distant metastases. The diagnosis was confirmed by a tissue biopsy. Herein, a rare case is presented, with the main educational purpose of describing the clinical presentation and complex diagnostic evaluation and discussing the differential diagnosis and management. Indeed, secondary mammary angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive neoplasm, and understanding its unique features is essential for clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. The tumor has a worse prognosis because of its late diagnosis, higher risk of rapid distant spread, and limited treatment options. Such cases require close monitoring, aggressive strategies, and supportive care.

About the authors

Marina Balbino

Foggia University School of Medicine

Email: marinabalbino93@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0009-2808-5708

MD

Italy, Foggia

Manuela Montatore

Foggia University School of Medicine

Email: manuela.montatore@unifg.it
ORCID iD: 0009-0002-1526-5047

MD

Italy, Foggia

Federica Masino

Foggia University School of Medicine

Email: federicamasino@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0004-4289-3289

MD

Italy, Foggia

Francesca A. Carpagnano

Dimiccoli Hospital

Email: c.francesca1991@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7681-2898

MD

Italy, Barletta

Giuseppe Guglielmi

Foggia University School of Medicine; Dimiccoli Hospital; IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospit

Author for correspondence.
Email: giuseppe.guglielmi@unifg.it
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4325-8330

MD, Professor

Italy, Foggia; Barletta; San Giovanni Rotondo

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Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
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1. JATS XML
2. Fig. 1. Mammograms: a — craniocaudal projection; b — mediolateral (oblique) projection. In the upper outer quadrant of the left mammary gland, a radiopaque lesion is observed, associated with deformation of the parenchyma as a result of quadrantectomy.

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3. Fig. 2. Magnetic resonance imaging. T1-weighted three-dimensional image in the axial plane at different levels (a, b, c) within the first dynamic system after contrast administration. Irregularly shaped lesion with heterogeneous contrast enhancement of the left retroareolar region and outer upper quadrant.

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