Radiation-induced angiosarcoma of the vagina and vulva: Case report and review of literature

Abstract

Angiosarcomas are uncommon malignant mesenchymal neoplasms of endothelial origin. They may be primary or secondary to radiation exposure, chronic lymphedema or to other associated risk factors. They can occur anywhere in the body, with the most common location being the skin of the head and neck. Radiation-induced angiosarcomas of the gynecologic tract are very rare with only few cases reported in the literature. We report a case of a 54-year-old lady who developed angiosarcoma of the vagina and vulva 9 years following radiotherapy for cervical cancer. She was treated with chemoradiotherapy and died nine months following the diagnosis of angiosarcoma. We also performed a literature review of the radiation-induced angiosarcomas arising in the vagina and vulva. Angiosarcomas should always be considered in the differential diagnosis when dealing with a tumor located in a previously irradiated area, as they may clinically mimic recurrence of the original tumor the patient had.

Keywords

• Angiosarcoma
• Radiation
• Vagina
• Vulva