Dr. Euhus on the Rarity of Angiosarcoma of the Breast

David M. Euhus, MD, director of breast surgery, professor of surgery, Johns Hopkins Medicine, discusses the rarity of angiosarcoma of the breast.

There are 2 different types of angiosarcoma of the breast, explains Euhus: primary angiosarcoma, which originates in the capillary cells or stem cells of the breast, and secondary angiosarcoma, which results from radiation therapy and breast lymphedema. These tumors comprise less than 1% of all breast cancers, he adds. Over a 25-year span, Euhus has seen approximately 3 cases of primary angiosarcoma.

Although these tumors are extremely rare, providers should be aware of what to look for. Typically, patients will be misdiagnosed after presenting with a small purple spot on their breast. Misdiagnosis can be cause for concern because these tumors grow fairly rapidly, explains Euhus. If a patient comes into the clinic with a small purple spot, a shave biopsy should be done to account for the possibility of it being an angiosarcoma of the breast.