Key result
Random skin biopsy successfully diagnosed aortic angiosarcoma by detecting metastatic lesions in a 75-year-old woman presenting with fever of unknown origin.
Why the study?
Aortic angiosarcoma is an extremely rare malignancy that is frequently diagnosed only postoperatively or during autopsy.
Case Report (n=1)
No
Random skin biopsy can be a valuable, minimally invasive diagnostic tool for detecting metastatic aortic angiosarcoma in patients presenting with fever of unknown origin when invasive procedures are not feasible.
Random skin biopsy may enable antemortem aortic angiosarcoma diagnosis; leaves open its role beyond this single case.
Aortic angiosarcoma is an extremely rare malignancy that is often diagnosed postoperatively or during autopsy. We present a case that was diagnosed through random skin biopsy. A 75-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease and chronic kidney disease presented with persistent fever and elevated C-reactive protein levels. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed irregular thickening of the aortic wall, which was initially suspected to be atherosclerosis. A random skin biopsy revealed tumor cells that were positive for vascular endothelial markers. The patient died 69 days later, with an autopsy confirming aortic angiosarcoma. Random skin biopsies may aid in the diagnosis of aortic angiosarcoma by detecting metastatic lesions when invasive procedures are not feasible.
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Miyamura et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Aortic angiosarcoma (n=1). Random skin biopsy was evaluated on Diagnosis of aortic angiosarcoma. Random skin biopsy successfully diagnosed aortic angiosarcoma by detecting metastatic lesions in a 75-year-old woman presenting with fever of unknown origin.
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