Angiosarcoma is a type of cancer that occurs in the inner lining of blood and lymph vessels. It is more common in some organs of the body, most commonly in the breast, spleen, and liver. It is also possible to find angiosarcoma in the skin. This condition, which can occur at any age, is diagnosed in many people today. People over the age of 70 are particularly at risk for angiosarcoma. It is rare in children, but in adults, it is found in 25 percent of deep tissue and 8 percent of breast tissue. Because this disease is delicate and serious, it is treated at a cancer center.

What Is Angiosarcoma?

Angiosarcoma is a cancer of the blood vessels between soft tissue sarcomas. It can occur in many parts of the body, including the head, neck, breast, and liver. Radiotherapy is an important factor that causes this cancer. Therefore, it is more likely to occur in people who have been treated for breast cancer or lymphoma. This disease, which occurs in middle-aged and older people, is also treatable. Some treatment methods are determined according to the person’s health condition, medical history, and the extent of cancer.

Symptoms Of Angiosarcoma

Angiosarcoma occurs in certain tissues in the body and can occur in many places, such as the neck, breast, and head. It can also develop in deep tissues such as the liver and heart. If it develops, it manifests itself with some symptoms in the body. The symptoms of angiosarcoma, which especially affects the skin, are as follows:

• A puffy and bruised appearance on the skin
• A lesion that begins to bleed if irritated
• Appearance of swelling around the lesion

Symptoms on the scalp, neck, breast or any part of the skin are as above. Because it also develops in the heart and liver, it also brings some symptoms. If an angiosarcoma occurs in deep tissue, pain is felt throughout the body. If it occurs on the skin, it is also possible to feel pain in the affected area. If you experience these symptoms for a long time and they affect your health, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

Causes Of Angiosarcoma

There is no known exact cause for angiosarcoma. Angiosarcoma forms on the lining of the lymph vessels, which are part of the immune system. The main cause changes in the DNA of the cells in the lining of the lymph vessels. By mutating, these changes cause cancer cells to multiply. Cancer cells growing beyond the blood or lymph vessels are therefore an important cause of angiosarcoma.

These cancer cells begin to destroy body tissue over time and spread throughout the body. In general, there are some risk factors for angiosarcoma arising from these causes. Risk factors for angiosarcoma include the following:

• People undergoing radiation therapy for cancer treatment can develop this disease.
• Lymphedema factor
• Exposure of the liver to certain chemicals (arsenic, vinyl chloride, and thorium dioxide)
• Genetic factors
• Pre-existing lesions

In general, the likelihood of developing angiosarcoma is high due to these risk factors. Angiosarcoma, which occurs due to these risk factors and causes, is a type of cancer that needs to be treated.

Treatment For Angiosarcoma 

Some diagnostic methods are applied before angiosarcoma treatment. First, a physical examination is performed to check for swellings and lesions on the body. Some special diagnostic methods are applied to determine the location and size of the tumor. For this, MRI, PET, or CT scans are performed. A biopsy may also be used to examine the tissue.

A definitive diagnosis of angiosarcoma is made after the diagnostic procedures have been performed and the results have been confirmed. After the diagnosis is made, appropriate treatment methods are applied for this disease. Treatment methods for angiosarcoma are given below:

• Surgery: Surgery is used to completely remove angiosarcoma. This treatment method is applied if the cancer cell has spread to the body at an advanced level. Therefore, not all patients with angiosarcoma are suitable for surgery.
• Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy, which is a frequently used method in cancer treatments, is applied to patients who are not suitable for surgical treatment. Radiotherapy aims to destroy cancer cells with high energy.
• Ablation: Ablation is one of the effective methods for destroying small tumorsin angiosarcoma treatment. It is a treatment method applied without surgery. It can be used for cancer cells that are not surgically treatable or that have spread in a specific number throughout the body.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy, which is different from radiotherapy and surgery, is one of the most effective cancer treatments. Chemotherapy, which destroys cancer cells, is a drug treatment. Chemotherapy, which breaks down and destroys angiosarcoma cells in the body, can sometimes be combined with radiotherapy.
• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy, one of the treatment methods used for cancer, is applied by using the immune system. This treatment method, which fights against cancer cells, is effective for advanced cancer.

In general, these are among the treatment methods for angiosarcoma. If you have symptoms such as lesions, swelling, and pain in the skin, you should consult specialized doctors. After the diagnosis, you can be referred to dermatologists or oncologists and start your treatment process. As with other types of cancer, early diagnosis is very important in angiosarcoma. Because it is possible to treat it in a short time while the cells have not yet spread and are at a mild level. However, when it spreads more and becomes more serious, the treatment process will take longer.

In conclusion, angiosarcoma is life-threatening cancer. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and treat it as early as possible. This type of cancer, which usually occurs in middle and old age, damages the skin and organ tissues. It is especially possible to see lesions on the scalp, neck, and breast. Since these lesions are painful, they negatively affect people’s health. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or surgery can be applied to this disease, which has many treatment methods. These treatment methods are determined according to the level of angiosarcoma, the person’s age, and their health status. It is a disease that can be cured if it is treated on time with the right methods.