Key result
Decortication and chemotherapy achieve 5-month recurrence-free survival in rare pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma.
Why the study?
Angiosarcomas of the pleura are very rare tumors that are difficult to differentiate clinically and pathologically from other common pleural tumors such as mesothelioma and metastatic carcinoma.
Case Report (n=1)
No
This case report highlights the specific immunohistochemical markers (CD31, CD34, vimentin) required to differentiate rare pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma from other common pleural tumors like mesothelioma.
Rare pleural angiosarcoma case mimics mesothelioma; leaves open diagnostic criteria and management strategies in young adults.
Angiosarcomas of the pleura are very rare tumors and it is difficult to differentiate them from other common pleural tumors such as mesothelioma and metastasic carcinoma clinically and pathologically. We report a case of a young Korean woman with angiosarcoma arising in the pleura. A 34-yr-old woman presented with dyspnea and chest tightness and pain for several months. A computed tomographic scan of the chest showed diffuse thickening of the left pleura and effusion with passive atelectasis. At thoracotomy the left pleura was thick and indurated. Histologically, the decorticated pleura revealed infiltration of sheets or cords of polygonal and epithelioid tumor cells showing rudimentary vascular differentiation. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were strongly positive for CD31, CD34, and vimentin, whereas weakly positive for factor VIII, and negative for cytokeratin, which are characteristic and specific findings of angiosarcoma.
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Roh et al. (2001) conducted a case report in Epithelioid Angiosarcoma of the Pleura (n=1). Pleural decortication and adjuvant chemotherapy was evaluated on Clinical outcome (survival and recurrence). A rare case of epithelioid angiosarcoma of the pleura in a 34-year-old woman was treated with decortication and chemotherapy, with the patient alive and recurrence-free at 5 months.
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