What is Angiosarcoma?

A malignant and rapid growing cancer, angiosarcoma is also highly invasive. The endothelial cells that line the walls of the blood and lymphatic vessels are the location from which the tumors arise.

Endothelial cells form the layer called the endothelium and line all the blood vessels and lymphatics. Beginning as a growth of rapidly proliferating immature cells, the tumors quickly become cancerous and can spread to many other systems in the body.

Angiosarcoma is, like most cancers, uncontrolled cell replication. Its unique threat to the health of the individual, though, is in its relation to the circulatory system.

Hemangiosarcoma, or blood -fed sarcoma, occurs when the blood vessels grow directly into the tumor filling it with blood. Cancerous cells can spread cancer to other healthy systems of the body when the malignancy affects the blood. This makes it extremely dangerous. Because of its affect on the blood vessels, angiosarcoma is aggressive, hard to treat and frequently recurs.

Lymphangiosarcoma is a tumor cell that begins in the endothelium layer of the lymphatic vessels. The lymph systems job is to distribute antibodies to the body. Any time the process is disrupted by these cancer cells it can spreads these deadly cells throughout the body.

Angiosarcomas may occur in any organ of the body, but are more frequently found in skin and soft tissue. They can originate in the liver, breast, spleen, bone or heart.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma, the most common form of angiosarcoma, is most often found in elderly persons. The tumors are primarily located on the head and neck.

There have been risk factors identified as related to angiosarcoma though no specific cause is known.

Hemangiosarcoma is linked to toxin exposures. Stewart – Treves a hemangiosarcoma is due to lymphedema, which occurs after breast cancer treatments.

People who have received treatments like radiation and chemotherapy have a higher risk of angiosarcoma. Exposure to vinyl chloride used in polymerization in the plastic industry can lead to angiosarcomas of liver and soft tissue. Though exposure to these pre-conditions or environmental toxins may have occurred thirty years ago, people can still develop these cancerous tumors.

All Angiosarcomas tend to be aggressive. The tumors have a high local recurrence rate and often misdiagnosed, leading to a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. Malignant vascular tumors are clinically aggressive and difficult to treat, usually not responding well to traditional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.

A tumor suppressor gene, P53, and its surrounding molecules is being researched and studied by laboratories all over the world. These studies may one day lead to new treatments for this life-threatening cancer.

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