Acquired lymphangioma (lymphangiectasis). Report of a case

Lymphangiectases are considered acquired dilatations of lymphatics as distinguished from new growths. Lymphangiomas are almost always congenital growths appearing soon after birth and containing mainly lymph as compared with hemangiomas that are new growths made up of bloodcontaining vessels. Lymphangiosarcoma (Stewart-Treves) is a malignant growth usually occurring in the lymphedematous ipsilateral extremity of a patient who has had a radical mastectomy. Verrucose lymphangioma-like lesions appeared on the vulva of an elderly woman several years after irradiation for squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix uteri. The lesions have the appearance of benign lymphangioma cutis but are located bilaterally and have developed late in life. The alternate diagnosis of lymphangiectasis was made despite the lack of preceding or accompanying edema. This condition can be compared with lymphangiosarcoma.